


A life dedicated to Sport (Oliver Wood fanfiction)

by im_not_anna



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Battle of Hogwarts, F/M, Harry's 3rd year, Hufflepuff, Quidditch
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-27
Updated: 2017-11-07
Packaged: 2018-10-24 15:37:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 14
Words: 29,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10744629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/im_not_anna/pseuds/im_not_anna
Summary: I'm trying to salvage some of my old fanfictionPenny is a Hufflepuff beater in her last year of Hogwarts. Since her first year Quidditch and flying have always been important to her and she'd like nothing more then to win the house cup. Just this once. But maybe that's too much to ask and suddenly she finds herself literally running into the Gryffindor captain and Keeper, Oliver Wood, on way to many occasions.





	1. Quidditch tryouts

There's something almost poetic about falling. Not falling in love of some crap like that, but actually, literally falling. Dropping out of the sky and speeding towards almost certain death. Nothing else will make you feel so alive. The irony in the whole situation is beautiful to say the least. The thing that will most certainly kill you, being the thing that gives life like nothing else can. 

Now if only the same could be said for equally deadly situations, such as potions class. Sure one might argue that Snape has never actually been responsible for the death of a student, but I'm telling you, if looks could kill......

"Waters, what is it you think you're doing?" Speak of the Devil. 

"Taking notes?" I say as deadpan as possible. Emotionless seams to get you further in this class then passionate. Especially if what you are passionate about is your hatred for the teacher. Fortunately for me Snape moves on to harass the next table with his presence. 

"There is nothing I hate more then double potions." I tell my best friend, Frank, when the class is finally over. "And on a Monday morning? It's like someones idea of a bad joke." 

"Look on the bright side." Frank says. "We have defence against the dark arts later and aren't Quidditch tryouts this week?” 

"It's only a bright side if I make the team." I sigh as we make our way toward the DADA classroom.  

"Don't be so modest. Of corse you'll make the team. Cedric would be daft not to want you."   
"Yah, well let's just get this class over with and then we'll see about Quidditch." We take our place next to each other in Lockheart's classroom. This is a class we share with the Griffindor's and shortly after we take our seats my sister, Caroline, enters and takes a seat in front of us. 

"Hey, Pen, Frank." She greets us. "Good first weekend?" 

"We spent the weekend together you bumble." I role my eyes.

"Oh yah." She smirks. She likes to pretend we don’t actually spend any time together, god knows why. Sometimes she even takes it so far as to act like she doesn’t know me. 

Defense against the Dark arts has gone badly down hill since my first year is all I'm going to say. Two years ago we had that psycho who carried he-who-must-not-be-named around with him and last year- well let's just say that we where made to do a 'how much you know about Gilderloy Lockheart' test in our first week. 

Fortunately this year we have Professor Lupin who I must say is one of the nicest people I've ever met and managed to make class entreating for all. 

"I don't want to sound ungrateful or insensitive, but I'm glad Lockheart lost his memory. Lupin is brilliant ." Frank whispers once we are dismissed. 

"I, for one, am ungrateful and insensitive towards Lockheart." Caro states before running off to join her Griffindor friends. Frank and I watch her throw an arm around Danielle Pace, a girl who started at Hogwarts the same year as us but got horribly sick least year and started her sixed year a week ago after missing it the year previous. 

"Library?" Frank asks after dinner. "We could get a head start on our homework." I can't help but laugh at her words. Frank has never been the best at time management and always finishes her work in the last possible minute which is surprising, considering her better then average grades.  Two year ago she got three whole owls more then myself, which if I'm honest isn't really difficult to accomplish, but still. 

"I'm serious. I'm trying to work on a better managing my time." 

"Okay then." I say. "Library." 

As expected neither of us got any work done. Frank found herself a book on facts about the arthurian legends that are unknown to muggles  which we spent a grate deal of time reading together.

"I always knew as a Kid that it was all real. Merlin and Arthur and all that." I mumble though a yawn.

"I think we better get back and catch some sleep. You have to prove to Cedric tomorrow that you deserve to be on the Quidditch team again." 

“Shit, you’re right.” I sigh. I was having fun taking terns reading facts out loud. “ Let’s go?” 

“On ne va.” Frank repeats in french and arm in arm we make our way back to the Hufflepuff common rome. 

The next day is dull as usual. I have History of Magic which is the best time and place for doodling if you ask me, Divination which is about as legit as the theory that Paul McCartney is dead and Transfiguration which is interesting enough but always leaves my brain fried from the complete concentration it requires. 

When finally I had no more classes I waited for Frank to come out of Muggle Studies so that we could walk to the Quidditch Pitch together. 

"You sure you don't want to try out?" I ask her. "You never know, you might make it." 

"Nah." She replied with a smile. "Quidditch was always your thing. I'm satisfied with my nose in a book." 

"Whatever makes you happy." 

"Waters." I hear Cedric call me as he walks out of the Changing rooms. I immediately open my arms to him and he steps in, embracing me which his very large self. ”I hope you're here to try out as a beater." 

"I have one more years at Hogwarts and I intend to play this years. If you'll have me." 

“Play like you always do today and I promise you'll make the team."   
So play like I always do is what I did. When I'm flying it's as if nothing else matters. Nothing at all. All that’s important in that moment is that I hit the bludger. I do try to not hit anyone with the it, even if they are on the opposite team but if I can scare the Quaffle out of a Slitherin Chasers grips then I'll do my best to accomplish it. 

We fly for ages, waking bludgers, throwing quaffles, catching quaffles, the whole shebang and although I’m properly tired by the time we’re done I’m also happy as can be. Everything hurts but it’s a good hurt. I’m panting and I’m our of breath but I’m pleased with myself too, having done my absolute best. 

Once the tryouts are over, I’m drenched in enough sweat to fill a bathtub. 

"On this years team:" Cedric's voice booms. "Preece, Macavoy, Applebee, Waters, Rickett and Fleet. My apologies to those who did not make it, every one of you played well today." 

Trying not to seam too exited I walk up to Cedric to thank him. Cedric, of course, sees right though me, pulls me into a sweaty hug and said I deserver a place on his team. Now and always. I’d be lying if I said those words didn’t make my cheeks flush and my chest feel warm and fuzzy. 

Frank, who’d been watching the whole thing and probably has better things to do knocks me on the head with a rolled up pice of parchment. Only then do I pull away from Cedric’s hug. 

 

"You made it." She squeals and I loos all composure. Or I would have if I had had any. I pull her into a huge hug and lift her off the ground. The hight difference makes this quite easy. 

“Ugh. Pen.” Frank whispers while patting me on the back. “Kinda not breathing right now.” 

“Shit, sorry.” I put her down immediately and notice that not only was I choking her, I’ve also managed to get her all dirty. “I've covered you in my sweat." 

"Don't worry about it. You made the team. I told you you would." 

I laugh with joy. "Yes I made it. This calls for celebration. Come on, I've got sweets in my trunk." I grab her hand a pull her towards the Hufflepuff common room and we almost make it. Almost. We’re so close when I speed around a corner and run full on against Oliver Wood who was carrying a book which I recognis as 'Quidditch though the ages'. Always having been someone to scare easy I let out a little scream. 

"Waters." Wood says startled. 

"Oh my. I'm so sorry. Like so so sorry." I apologies over and over and even Frank joins in in our orchestra of 'sorries'. 

“Just like our first day on the train.” Wood jokes in his thick accent. “You ran into me then, too.”  
   
"I'm sorry." I say once more feeling genuinely bad about not looking where I was going. 

"Don't worry about it. I'll see you on the Quidditch pitch." 

"Yah see yah." I say contemplating apologising one last time but deciding against it. I don’t want to annoy the heck out of the poor bloke after almost running him over. Flashing Oliver the quickest of smiles, I grab onto Frank’s wrist and pull her away quickly. 

Once I think we are out of hearing range we both burst into laughter. 

"Well that was embarrassing." I can't stop myself from giggling. "Did you hear my scream?" 

"Didn't you fancy him in second year?" Frank asks bringing back memories of my pre pubescent crush.

"Ew, yah. Let's please not dwell on that." 

"Why not he's charming enough. And quite a looker." She teased and I can only role my eyes. 

"When the day comes that my mind is not full of Quidditch and muggle sports then I'll make sure to consider Wood. It's not as if there are many other candidates." 

“Well-?" Frank looks as though she immediately regrets having said even that one word which means there’s something she doesn’t want me to know. Something she’s keeping from me. 

"Oh my word." I squeal for the x number of times today. "Did someone live up to your high standards?" 

"No." Frank says though I know she's not being 100% truthful. Still I’m not about to push her into telling me anything. If she want’s me to know she’ll tell me. Instead I settle for a wink and a little nudge before we finish our trip to the Hufflepuff common room in a comfortable silence. 

The next day, while we’re seated in the common room trying to do an assignment, I can’t help but ask Frank about her secret crush.

“Don’t tease.” She mumbles. “It’s not like I teas you about Wood." 

"I don't fancy Wood." I say matter of factly. 

"That's good to know." Cedric materialised behind me. "I can't have you distracted by the Griffindor captain. But if you do fancy him then you have my blessing." 

"I do not fancy Wood!" I insist. 

"What ever you say." Cedric winks and I can't believe he's teasing me. Cedric of all people. The ultimate goody too shoes. 

"Git." 

"Call me what you want, just don't be late for practice later." With that Cedric walked away flashing me an irritating smile.   
I look at Frank with disbelief. Cedric was being a shit? Sure he’s always a bit of a shit, that’s why I love him, but he usually walks away when Frank and I talk about boys and now he’s the one doing so. That simply isn’t fair. 

Frank just shrugs and turns back to the book in her lap but I can see from the smile on her lips that she’s clearly amused. Why are all my friends acting like 12 year olds? 

 

I don’t see much of Cedric until practice but once I showed up on the pitch there Cedric is talking to, you'll never guess, Wood. Not wanting to take the risk of Cedric saying anything about our earlier encounter, no matter how irrelevant it may have been I decide it best to head strait to the the dressing room. 

Unfortunately Cedric has different idea’s. "Waters. Why don't you come and say hi." He calls me.

Unwilling to be rude I walk over and put on a smile which if I'm honest wasn't the most genuine. It's the kind of smile you put on when one of your friends is being what I like to refer to as: a right proper git. 

"Hi, Cedric." I say glaring at him before turning to the second Quidditch captain standing there. "Wood." 

"Waters." He nods back. 

"Oh come one mate's you've been playing against each other for what? 5 years now? You're way past second name basis, wouldn't you say?" 

"Or we could just keep calling each other Wood and Waters." I elbow Cedric in the side. "Now, don't you have a Snitch to chase after or something?" 

"I guess I'd better." He said, saying farewell to Wood, smirking the whole time. That in itself is reason enough to punch him in the arm repeatedly while we walk towards the Hufflepuff dressing room. That and the fact that he’s laughing. 

If I hadn't been spending the next few hours chasing a maniac ball around and waking it with a bat I would have probably spared Cedric an irritated glance or two, but there was no time for that now. I had a game to practice for. 

Cedric's post practice pep talk was short but moving, as usual. So with a new found determination to give my all I made my way back to the Hufflepuff common room. Some students prefer to shower and change down by the Quidditch pitch but I prefer the privacy of the 7th year girls dorm. Seeing as there are only 4 of us and I'm the only one on the Quidditch team the bathroom is usually very vacant. 

But once again, around the exact same bloody corner, I run into Wood who's just sort of standing there. 

"Bloody hell." I exclaim. "Who in there right bloody mind just stands around a corner and just scares unsuspecting, poor, little girls?" 

"Whoa there Waters." Wood laughs. "You're the one who ran into me. Again may I add." 

"Is it my fault that you're happen to enjoy standing around on the way to the Hufflepuff common room? I mean who dose that?"   
Wood laughs again and I can't help but smile even though he's not taking me seriously. "I like to take some time away from Gryffindor. To think." 

"There are better places to think. I mean Hufflepuffs must come by hear all the time."

"They do, but most of them don't run into me every other week." 

"I move quickly." I defend myself. " I have places to be and if someone just so happens to be standing in my way then it's there own fault." 

"It's my fault is it?" 

"No that's not what I mean." Guilt suddenly washes over me even though it kind of was his fault. Right? But then again I could have been more careful. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been running thought the corridors." 

"Don't worry about it." Wood chuckles. "I just wanted to see the Hufflepuff in you." 

"Prick." 

"And the Hufflepuff was just starting to show." 

I stick my tongue out before leaving in direction of the Hufflepuff common room. This was ridiculous to say the least. I mean I run into him once. Once. And then all of a sudden he's everywhere. And Cedric was not making any of it any better. I'll just have to avoid him until we have to play against each other which is inevitable. Wood I mean, not Cedric. Always charming Mr. Diggory, unfortunately, is too good a friend to avoid.  Even with a little teasing now and then. 


	2. Fly Emirates

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would just like to say that in 1993 (when this took place) Arsenal was sponsored but JVC and not Emirates. But it was too good a joke to not use. Sorry. 

"Why am I even taking Potions?" I let my head drop onto the table in front of me. "It's not as if I'm going to need it when I'm a professional Quidditch player." 

"Because you didn't want me to suffer though Snape's classes alone?" Frank offers and I know she's right. What kind of person would let there friend sit alone in the spotlight of Snape's wrath? Or anyone for that matter. I wouldn't wish Snape upon Pansy Parkinson who a few years ago bullied Ernie McMillan and with that making my list of People I passionately dislike. 

I could just say 'hate' but that's one hell of a strong word and I don't know what's up in Parkinson's home life so I can't really jump to the conclusion that she is a bad person. 

Snape on the other hand is one person where I simply don’t care if his home life is crap. Do Hogwarts professors even have home lives? Either way, I think he’s a massive prick and I’m fully prepared to consider him a bad person. 

"How about we call it a night?" Frank asks after hours of writing line after about some potion or the other. It's probably the best Idea she's ever had and this girl is full of more good ideas then Hogwarts is filled with things that could actually kill a student. 

Once we packed up our parchments and tucked ourselves into bed Frank sat up and said: "I'm going to tell you who I fancy." This, as one could imagine, got my attention. "But you have to promise not to judge. He's two years younger then me." 

After that everything just clicked. "He's not in Gryffindor is he?" 

"Yah. How'd you know?" Frank asks but instead of answering I throw her a follow up question: "Dose it happen to be one of the Weasley twins?" 

"Merlin. How did you know? Am I that obvious?" 

"Oh, not at all." I assure her. "But you see Caro has this massive crush on Fred and talks about nothing more then how he's two years younger then her, so I just assumed when you said almost the same thing." 

"Caro likes Fred?"

"Yah. Which one do you like?" 

"George." 

"Well that's fortunate." 

I thought that would be the end of the conversation, that we would go to sleep now, because Frank has never been the kind to get all jittery and giggly over a boy and we usually don't discuss it much but apparently I’m wrong, because Frank says: "This is when you admit to liking Wood." 

"Wait. Are you serious?" This is getting out of hand. "I told you I didn't fancy him." 

"You weren't just saying that? I'm so so sorry." Frank realises. "Wow, I must have been annoying. Sorry." 

 

"Don't worry about it. Cedric seams to find a good giggle in the whole thing and the the way I see it, a happy Quidditch captain is better then a- um- unhappy one?" 

"Cedric is doing it too? Oh Merlin. I'm so sorry Pen." 

"Like I said Frank, don't worry about it. I mean I teased you more about someone you actually like.”

“You asked me twice,” She laughs. “If that’s your definition of teasing then, boy, do I have some bad news for you about the rest of the world.” 

“Like Cedric?” 

“Exactly. Like Cedric.

I spent most of the next weeks avoiding the corridor in which I ran into Wood or only taking it when it's late enough to assume that he wouldn't be there. It's a hassle but Cedric is seemingly taking every opportunity to slip Wood’s name into conversation or comment on how ‘good he looks in this light’ and I really didn’t want to give him any more ammunition. Especially since all of this was born out of him overhearing me say that I don’t fancy Wood.

"You don't have to go this way with me." I tell Frank every time she takes the long way round just so we can walk together but every single time she'll say: "Of course I have to go this way. Don't be silly." Very Frank. And also very appreciated. It's happened more then once that's we've had to walk past Filch and his cat who both gave us questioning looks. Both our records are clean though so he can't really do anything.

"You sit thought Potions for me. Least I can do it walk an extra 10 minutes for you." 

"Bollocks!" I exclaim realising that we have a Potions essay due that we completely forgot about. "We need to go to the library." 

"Why?" Frank asks but it doesn't take her too long to remember either. "Oh crap. You're right. Let's go." 

"And who knows. Maybe when we're done it'll be so late that we can take the 'normal' way back." I joke. 

"Or it will be so late that Filch catches us out after hours and we get detention." Frank groans. And suddenly that fear is very real.   
We both agree that the best thing to do is to work in the library for a while, but not to late and then to take books back to the common room where we can continue to work with out braking any rules. 

When we get to the library Caro is there with the twins and they appear to be talking about muggles. Specifically Caro is telling them about the muggle pranks she used to play on me when we where kids. She always was better at tricking then the other way around. 

"And she's really easily scared, so I would just wait behind a corner and jump out at her." My charming sister laughs. 

"Hey. Watch it." I warn. "Don't go giving them ideas." Frank lags behind a little as I walk over to defend myself in front of my sister's house mates when I remember the truth of the situation and call Frank over. 

"I would tell you all about Caroline's weaknesses but I have books I need to find. Soo.... I'm going to let Frank here do it." 

"Wait what?" Frank stammers. "No, I'll get the books." 

"Don't be silly. You know Caro just as well as I do. So yah." And before she can protest I run off towards the Potions section and make sure to disappear into it. 

Proud of myself, a little to proud maybe, I don't immediately notice the person sitting on the floor and reading. Well I don't notice them at all until I'm laying on the floor after having tripped over them. 

"I'm sorry." I say, rubbing my shoulder that suffered quite an impact. "I'm really sorry I didn't see you there." 

"Yah, I noticed." It was Wood who spoke. 

"Are you kidding me?" I groan sitting up. "Are you bloody kidding me? Out of all people in this school it had to be you?"

"Sorry?"

"No. Don't be. I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I keep running into you or tripping over you or what not. Someday I'm going to injure you and then where will we be? Not it a good place, that's for sure. And I really am, really really sorry. And I promise to never not see you again." 

"Hey now, Waters. It's okay." He's smiling and I don't like it. It's an amused kind of smiling. A 'look at you, you mess of a person' kind of smiling. I want to tell him off and tell him not to smile at me but how unreasonable would that be. So instead I just smile back and apologise once more. 

"How did you miss me anyway? What could you have been thinking about that was so captivating that you didn't see a whole person." 

"Quidditch." I lied. I didn't exactly feel like telling him that I had just forced my best friend to talk to the guy she fancied. Even less so seeing as said guy was on Wood's team. 

"I've been told you can obsess over the sport." He laughed. 

"Hey! This is a serious case of the pot calling the kettle black, just so you know." 

"I never said being obsessive was a bad thing." He defended himself. 

"Right." I say before excusing myself and leaving without any of the books I intended on getting. 

 

"Pen?" Frank asks when I get back to where she's still standing with the twins and Caro. "I thought you  where getting the books?" 

"I was, but something happened. Can you get them?" 

"Yah of course." Frank said and started to walk the way I just came. 

"I'm sorry." I call after her. 

"Wait." Caro gives me a questioning look which she pairs with a rather irritating smirk. "What happened?" 

"I'll tell you later." I huff. I don't need Fred And George knowing more then they already do. 

 

It's not too long before Frank is back with a pile of six books in her arms. I take the heaviest ones from her and no words need to be exchanged between us for the mutual decision to hear right back to the common room to be made. 

We take the short way back knowing the Wood is in the library probably amusing himself over how bloody clumsy I am. I mean who just fails to see someone? Three times? 

And then we write our essays. Thankfully they take up a lot of our brain capacity  and therefore leave little time to think, let alone talk, about anything else. 

It's almost 3am when we both make our way up to our dorm room with bags under our eyes and no sign what so ever of a spring to out step. No sign what so ever of there ever having been a spring to our step. 

"I'm sorry I ruined your moment with George." I say with the last of my energy. 

"Don't worry about it. I've decided I don't actually like him." 

"What? Why?" I'm sure I would have sounded more shocked If I   
wasn't so tired. 

"I don't know. He's just not as wonderful as I thought." 

"You're standards really are preposterous, you know?" 

"Yah I know." Frank sighs. She often jokes about never finding anyone she'll consider 'good enough' but sometimes I think it might be a little more then a joke. "And anyway, I had to go help you out." 

"Yah. Thanks a bunch and sorry again." 

"It was my pleasure." Frank said though a yawn. "I actually almost laughed when I saw Wood sitting there." 

"He didn't say anything did he?" 

"Not much. He asked if you where avoiding him but other then that he didn't say much." 

"Wait what?" I exclaim, a whole new found energy pulsing though me. Wood suspects that I'm avoiding him. That was not meant to happen. "What did you say?"

"I told him that of course you weren't avoiding him. I think he bought it." 

"Thanks." Relief takes over and whatever energy materialised in my body a while ago completely vanished leaving me drained once more. 

"You know I'd kill for you." 

"No you wouldn't." 

"Okay. Fine. But I'd get someone thrown into jail for you." 

"Ditto." And then sleep took over. 

 

Unfortunately sleep didn't take over for too long because when I look at my watch in the morning it's 6:30. Naturally I try to go back to the land of dreams for a few more hours but fail miserably so instead of laying around and doing nothing I get up and change into the Arsenal Football kit I own and make my way down to the Quidditch pitch. 

Before Hogwarts I was on a swim team and since I didn't have access to a pool at all time I got into jogging for those days where I would wake up before the sun and needed to do something. It's a habit I haven't quite lost so when the situation presents itself I can be found having a jog around the pitch. It's calming believe it or not. 

Quite to my dismay who would I find flying around there but Oliver Wood. Sure this wouldn't be the first time that we where both up and training before class but this time it's different. 

"Are you stalking me?" I ask when he lands his broom right next to me. 

"No. I'm not." Wood raises an eyebrow at me. "Are you avoiding me?" 

Deep breath. "No." I try to sound as casual as possible. 

"Okay. Next question. Why do you think I'm stalking you?"   
Sigh. How do you answer a question like that. I can't exactly say 'Because I'm a spaz who keeps bumping into you and because Cedric thinks I fancy you which has somehow made me more aware of your existence' can I? 

Instead I say: "No. Sorry. Of course you're not. I don't know why I said that. Sorry." I could tell from the look of Wood's face that he was very critical about the situation and hell, I would be too if I where in his shoes. So what other options are there for me other then somehow explain myself. "Okay, here's the thing. Cedric said something, a few somethings actually. Very very annoying somethings. Those somethings aren't important though so don't ask what they are. And since then you just seam to be everywhere. You're just all over the place."

"Waters, I've always been everywhere. We're in the same year. We have a lot of the same classes. We both play Quidditch. Chances are we are going to see each other. "

"Yes. Of course. Sorry." It hit's me how incredibly stupid I've been. I mean I didn't mean it when I asked if he was stalking me. Deep down I knew he wasn't. It was just one of those stupid heat of the moment things that happens sometimes. My Brother, Mateo, always says I have no filter. Oh how I wish he was wrong.    
To my complete surprise Wood starts to laugh. Like full on proper laugh. I don't know what to do in the situation so I just stand and awkwardly try not to stare until he says: "You're odd. Anyone ever tell you that?" Thought his chuckles. 

"Once or twice." I admit. Though if I'm completely honest It was probably a little more then twice. Or a little more then a little more. 

"Can we please just forget about it all?" I beg. "Please?" 

"Yah. Sure." Wood say still laughing a little and getting back on his broom. "See you, Waters." 

"See you." I call after him as her pushes off from the ground and ascends into the sky. All the while I try to focus on jogging. Just jogging. One lap after the other until I'm sweating and that beautiful post exercise feeling takes over my body. 

Seeing as the pitch is empty aside from Oliver Wood and myself I decide it can't hurt to shower in the looker rooms and then go straight to meet Frank for breakfast. 

I pull my wet hair into a pony tail and make my way out of the looker room, the incident from earlier forgotten. Well forgotten up until Wood is standing in front of me in his robes. He obviously had the same thing in mind as me. 

"So what's Emirates then? Some Foreign Quidditch team?" He ask me as we both make our way up to the castle. It's all forgotten then. That's good. 

"Emirates?" 

"On your shirt earlier. It said 'Fly Emirates'." 

I can't help it. I start to laugh. It's all a whole funny situation. "Um no. Emirates is an Airline. They sponsor Arsenal. The Football team." 

"I'm don't understand." 

"It's not a Quidditch team. It's my football team." I try to explain but I can see from his face that Wood is not understanding. "Never mind. It's not important. Let's just go eat. I'm famished." 

"Okay. Let's just eat." 


	3. Quidditch and the Kitchen

"Where you jogging again?" Frank asks when I take a seat next to her at the Hufflepuff table. 

"Course. Where else?"  Morning workouts always build up my appetite to a point where it's actually a little scary. So, naturally, my focus at the moment is about 70% food and 30% Frank. Sorry Frank. 

"It just, I heard Cedric say that he saw you walking with Wood." Okay, so now it's 30% food and 70% the end of the world. 

"Cedric saw that? CEDRIC? Fucking shit this is not good." I try to keep my language clean most of the time. Needless to say I also fail most of the time. But I try and that's what matters, right? Right? Frank doesn't seam to think so: "There's first years around Pen." 

"Sorry. It's just Cedric is never going stop taking the mickey now." I let my head fall to the table. New plan. Stop avoiding Wood and start avoiding Diggory. 

 

That plan proves to be a little more difficult seeing as we have training today. My plan for it is to just deny everything. No matter what he what Cedric says I'll just deny it. Is your name Penny? No. Do you love Quidditch? No. Should be simple enough. 

Surprisingly Cedric doesn't say anything. Doesn't even give me a knowing look or anything. I'm not complaining, believe you me, but I find it surprising none the less. 

We train like normal, Cedric gives his fantastic speech at the end like he normally does and I leave to shower in out dorm like I normally do. Everything is hunky dory and yet I have this feeling that I can't tread easy. Like Cedric is just waiting for the right moment, then it can't be long before Wood gets suspicious and then I'm going to have to explain to him that I don't actually fancy him. And that will be one hell of an awkward talk. 

I'm sitting by the fire reading, not any of the mandatory reading I keep putting off unfortunately, when Cedric takes a seat next to me. 

"You going to teas me now?" I ask with out looking up from my book. I can't actually do that thing where I keep reading while also small talking but I like to pretend I do because it makes me look profound and stuff. I'm not. I'm the kind of person who says 'and stuff' but it's fun to pretend. 

"Why would I teas you?" 

"Because you saw me walking from the Quidditch Pitch with Oliver Wood today and you've been taking the piss because of less?" 

"Oh right. That." Cedric smiles at me. "I've decided that you'd tell me when you where ready." 

"There's nothing to tell." I promise. "And if there was you'd know." 

"I'll take your word for it." 

"There's a first." I laugh and lay my head on his shoulder. 

 

"Game day. Game day. GAME DAY!" I exclaim first thing in the morning running around the dorm room like an absolute maniac. I probably am an absolute maniac. 

In the common room I run into Cedric. I grab him by the shoulders and squeal: "Game day." 

"It's not called 'Game day'." Cedric laughs. "I've told you before. 

"Match Day?" 

"Sure." Cedric and we walk down to the Quidditch Pitch together with the rest of the team. Then there's the whole pre game routine. Getting dressed, pre game jitters and Cedric's speech. It sounds unrealistic but his game day speeches are even better then his practice speeches. A little longer, mind you, but so worth it. 

"And let's please remember to play fair. A win is nice but so is the moral high ground." He finishes which causes everyone to cheer in agreement. "Now, let's make it a good one." 

I grab my bat and my broomstick and follow Cedric out of the dressing room. We enter the pitch and and so dose the Ravenclaw team. This is our first game this year. The first of the last three games I'll play at Hogwarts. It kind of matters that I makes some sort of impression if I want to play for Puddlemere United when I leave. 

I play the game as I always do. All my everything poured into the game, hitting bludger after bludger. It's not easy you know. Letting go of your broomstick with both hands and then swinging. Swinging so hard. It takes a great deal of arm strength. They told me I couldn't be a beater. But here I am. 

The one problem with focusing so very much on your one aspect of the game is that sometimes the rest of the game get's a little fuzzy. Basically I'm not always sure where exactly we stand in terms of points. One look at the stands will tell you everything and today it's not looking good. Ravenclaw looks way to happy. Which is nice. It's nice to see them happy but it still kind of sucks though. 

The games end and we loose which is a bummer but it's okay. It's not too bad. At least that's what Cedric says. If only I could be as okay about loosing as Cedric is. Sometimes I think he doesn't care about winning at all. 

 

"You played amazingly." Frank says putting her arm around me in the common room. "Even if you disagree." 

"Thank you." I try a smile but I'm quite sure it looks more then a little forced. 

"Okay. Come on." Frank says pulling me up and towards the door. 

"Where are we going?" 

"Kitchen. You need some hot chocolate. Possibly cheesecake." 

"I love you." Throw my arm back around her shoulder and she puts hers around my waist. There was a time when both Justine Finch-Fletcher and Cedric both thought we where a couple but nah. I mean everyone got 'that' friend, right. 

On the way to the kitchen, long before lights out mind you, we run into Oliver Wood, standing where he stood those other times. 

Well, we run into him metaphorically. Unlike those other times. I'm grateful for that last part. I'm less grateful for a bit where one of the schools best and defiantly the schools most passionate Quidditch player is standing in front of me after my house just lost a game. 

"Wood." I greet. 

"Waters. We're interacting with out an impact first. This is new." 

"Hey. Shush you." I warn. But it's not a very serious warn. 

"Good job by the way. Fantastic game." 

The only reply I give is a groan. One of those deep, completely un-sexy groans. The type where your forehead scrunches up and your eyes roll. 

"We're going to the Kitchen to make her feel better about that fantastic game." Frank explains. "Want to come?" 

I'm a little taken aback but Frank's invitation but seeing as Wood didn't actually mock me for today's game I don't really mind. I don't even see why he would want to join to the Kitchen so there's really no harm. It's still a little odd for Frank though. She's not usually the extroverted, come join us person I barely know, type. 

"Yah. Okay." Wood says taking me by surprise yet again. What a day. 

"Okay. Good. Is it okay if just the two of you go? I need to finish my Transfiguration assignment." Frank asks. 

"You haven't finished that yet?" Wood asks while I say: "It's due tomorrow." 

"Yes I know. Time management. I'm bad at it remember." 

"Yah. Okay, sure. You go work on that." I tell her smiling, this time genuinely. I understand what it means to Frank to get good grades and I'm honestly incredibly honoured that she was willing to give up home work time to escort me to the Kitchen. 

"Are you sure?" 

"Yes. Of course. Now go one. Finish that essay." 

"Thank you. Sorry." She's also always apologising even when she doesn't need to. 

"Don't apologise. We'll be fine. It'll be fun." I nod at her and link my arm with Woods. "Come on, then." 

Frank leaves us for her work, completely understandable, and Oliver Wood and I make our way to the Kitchen. It's not far from the Hufflepuff common room and we all know where it's located. I just always assumed it was the same for the other houses. But looking at Wood's face as he's stood in front  of the painting of fruit proves me wrong. 

"You'll like this bit." I say tickling the pear opening the porthole to the kitchen. I look over to see the surprise on Wood's face and it kind of makes me giggle. I hate it when I giggle. I've got one of those stupid giggles that make it sound like I'm firstling. Those fake giggles. Those 'I'm only giggling so you'll think I'm cute' giggle. But I'm not flirting and not trying to be cute or whatever. It's just unfortunately the way I was made. 

"Ignore the giggle." I lead the way into the Kitchen where we are greeted by a swarm of house elves. I've wanted to repay them for there service in the past, tried to give them a hat once, they didn't like that. At all. Since then I just stick to 'thank you's'. 

"What can we get you tonight Miss Waters?" One of the elves asks. 

"I'll have a cup of tea please. And I cheese cake if you've got one." I say. 

"And you sir?" 

"Um? The same?" Wood sounds a little unsure when he talks but eventually joins be on the floor. It's a nice floor. Clean floor. Safe to sit on. 

"No chairs?" 

"There are." I confirm. "I'm just not a big fan of chairs. A little boring, aren't they. We're only 17, that's way to young to not sit on floors." 

I'm smiling again. Proper smiling simply because life is good. Not smiling because that's what people want to see. And it's nice. I like those moments when you can smile about having a cup of tea on the kitchen floor with a mate. Not that I've ever thought of Oliver Wood as a mate before, but I think this qualifies him. 

"Just so you know. I'm very upset about you always beating us. Or at least since you got Potter." 

"He's good, isn't he. One of the best." 

I role my eyes. He is one of the best. It's annoying really. I am happy for him, don't get be wrong, but it's still annoying. 

"So are you." Wood adds. 

"I am what?" 

"One of the best." He lifts his mug to his lips and finishes his tea. 

 

Since the tea and cake with Oliver, I call him Oliver now, since we're mates, Cedric has started to teas me again. Well no, Cedric has started to teas Oliver. You see he also decided to go for a snack and just so happened to walk in to us on our way out. 

All the girls love Cedric, they adore him. Faun over him and fantasise about him swooping them of there feet. I mean, yah he's charming and modest and basically good at everything ever but I think it's all a little exaggerated. He's too prince charming for my liking. Which is why we're such good friends I guess, because I'm the only girl in school who doesn't fancy him. That's aside from Frank of course, but then again Frank doesn't fancy anyone. George was an anomaly and only for like two weeks, so yah.

Being such good friends with the dream boat mean that I know things. For instance I happen to know that there's a little spark between him and Cho. It's perfect. Perfect for me because now the teasing works both ways. 

"You should go easy on him." Frank warns me at lunch. "I heard one of the Ravenclaws say you where bullying him." 

"Bullying him?" I almost choke on a mouthful of ham. "Oh please. Besides, he doesn't mind. He know's it a token of my affection." 

"You should also go easy on the food. I heard a Slytherin say you eat like, excuse this next bit, a pig." 

"Why does everyone hate me all of a sudden?" I ask stuffing my mouth with more food. I like food, and nothing anyone says is going to change that. I need to like food. Do you think my arm muscles just materialised out of no where? My body need fuel. 

"They don't hate you." Frank reassured. "No one can hate you. You're basically perfect." 

"Have you met you?" 

"Stop flirting will you." Caroline says as she passes out table. She likes to do that, just walk by and drop of a sly remark or two. But we're used to it. With a simultaneous roll of two pairs of eyes it's forgotten. 


	4. WTF Flint?

"I'll see you after Muggle studies?" 

"Yah. I'll meet you in the Library." Fran says before skipping off. 

"And I'll walk you to the library if you like." It's Cedric standing behind be, taking me completely by surprise. So much so that I scream. Just a little but it's a scream none the less. 

"Must you always scream?" 

He knows how easy it is to scare me, and still he does it. "You startled me. I can't help it." I pretend to be mad but that's not really something I'm good at. Being mad I mean. He knows it too, holding out his hand which I instantly take. Out of habit mostly. 

"Wont' Cho be mad that you're walking hand in hand with another girl?" 

"I could ask the same bout Oliver and me.

"Oh shut it you." This makes him laugh. "Now come on the library awaits." 

 

You'd think that two people could walk hand in hand with out consequence. You'd think that two people could just be friends with out some sort of negative impact on there lives. I'm proven wrong the second we enter the library. 

It's Flint, standing right there as we walk in. A sight to make your eyes sorer then the've ever been. "So it's you two then? The Hufflepuff power couple?" 

"Please leave us alone." A customary smile follows my words as I push past the man I really don't want to have to interact with. Well, boy. 

"Leave you alone so you can snog behind the bookshelves?" He sneers. "How do you think Wood will react when I tell him about this? Probably won't be to pleased, eh?" 

To be honest it's in moment's like these where I have to restrain myself from slapping people. I've only ever slapped two people in my life and I regretted it immediately both times but that doesn't mean I don't still just really really want to some times. Actually a lot of the time it's Flint I wan't to slap. A Lot of the time. 

But not Cedric, at least looking at his exterior he's never shown any signs of aggression, I don't think. It's admirable. It's like that now. His face is completely calm as he says: "What to do want Flint?" 

"I want you to know that I'll be telling Wood that you're cheating on him." 

"I'm not bloody cheating on anyone." I almost scream. Not quite but almost. 

"That's not what I heard." 

"Who told you otherwise." It's Oliver. It's actually Oliver. Apparently he's been in the library the entire time just watching the whole thing play out. Until now that is. Now he stepped in. 

"Tell me Flint. Who told you that there was anything going on between Waters and I other then friendship?" 

Flint, clearly taken aback by the situation doesn't have an answer. Not sure what to say just stares at Oliver then at Me then at Cedric and then right back at Oliver. 

"Then I'll tell Chang about it. I'll tell Chang that you're cheating on her." He looks directly at Cedric and then storms out of the room.   
Cedric remains as composed as ever. "How does he know about Cho?" 

"I'm really sorry he's going to go and ruin it all for you." I pull Cedric into a hug. 

"No. I won't let this ruin things. I'll go talk to her now, before Flit get's to her." 

"Go get her." Oliver calls after him as he also leaves the library. Leaving the other two of us alone on our lone lonely lonesomeness once again. 

"Um, Oliver?" 

"Yah?" 

"I don't mean to be rude but I need to ask you something." 

"What's that?" Oliver asks taking a seat by a table and nods his head at the chair across from him. 

I sit down because there's two ways this conversation could go. It could be the smooth settling of events or it could get incredibly awkward really quick. Awkward and standing aren't usually a good combination for me. 

"Why did Flint think we where a couple?" I question. Not something I expected to really say, ever. 

"I was actually hoping you'd know the answer to that." 

"Yah well. Hope breeds eternal misery." I huff placing my chin in my hand. 

Oliver laughs, a tad to loud because we're immediately told of which I don't like at all. Oliver laughs all the more when I start to apologise. 

"I do know why Flit was so intent on running your life though." 

"You mean other then just being a foul arse?" I question making him laugh again. Quieter this time. "Yah, other than that." 

"Let's have it then." 

"Well, rumour has it, he fancies you." 

Once Frank show's up it takes a while to get her up to date on the situation. She does quite a bit of apologising throughout the story telling as if it was somehow her fault or she could have somehow prevented it.

"I just don't get why?" I moan. "Out of all people why'd it have to be me? I mean, he's a Slytherin, and a nasty one at that, more commonly known as the people most responsible for Hufflepuff hate. He hit once, during a game. Hit me with my own bat. But sure, it makes perfect sense that he would fancy me."

"It's not that bad, Penny." Oliver tries to calm me. I've been in a bit of a state. Unreasonably so, I'm aware but I can't really help it at the moment.

"It is that bad. It most defiantly is that bad."

Frank nods in agreement. "It is bad. He's a 17 year old boy. It's bad. He probably thinks about her when he gets of." 

"Frank!" She's put images in my head now that I really could have done with out. 

"Sorry."

"You can't know that." Oliver  says but Frank is not having it. 

"My mother studied the psychology behind sex, my father in an expert in puberty and I have a brother. We talk." 

"Okay, so you can make an educated guess. But did you have to tell her?" 

"Sorry again." Frank puts a hand on my back and draws little circles. They don't really do much to calm be but it's appreciated anyway. 

"Enough of this." Oliver declares standing up. "I' taking you flying. That will make you feel better, I know it will." He stretches his hand out toward me but I don't take it. For once in my life I don't feel like flying. What I feel like doing is taking a long shower. A really hot, long shower. So hot that everything unwanted burns off of me, and possibly my skin to. 

Frank has different ideas. She takes my hand and places it into Oliver's. He then literally pulls me out of my chair. The guy's strong, I'll give him that. 

 

Most of the way to the pitch I'm just being pulled along, that is until see the hoops. Then an excitement builds up in me, an excitement that's always present before I get on my broom and take for the sky. 

I'm reminded what's important to me: Quidditch, the sport, and being bloody good at it. That's something that no one can take away from me as long as I keep training, keep pushing myself to be better and if I know myself at all, which I'm pretty sure I do, then it's going to be a long time before I stop pushing. 

"You're smiling again." Oliver points out. "That's nice." 

He's right, I am smiling again and it is nice. Its thanks to him, he had the idea. So i grin up at him and then I grin at Frank, who decided to join us and watch. She doesn't grin back though. In fact, she looks mildly irritated. I'd be worried that I did something wrong but she's not looking at me, she's looking off into the distance. "Here comes trouble." 

Naturally I turn to see what she's looking at and so does Oliver. As if by magic the grin is wiped from my face as Flint moves quickly towards us. 

"See, I knew it. I knew you two where doing dirty deeds while the rest of us sleep." He yells. It's a little scary if I'm honest but I have no intention of letting him intimidate me. 

I'm about to protest when Oliver grabs my waist and pulls me close to his side. Raising my eyebrow questioningly I look up at him but he pays me no attention. His glance is focused on the Slytherin captain. 

"What if I was her boyfriend? Would you leave her alone?" 

"Oliver?" I ask. 

He continues to ignore me. "If you knew, Flint, that she was spoken for and that I would hunt you down if ever you made any kind of move on her, would you just leave her be? Because that's the truth of the matter, so you better back off. Am I understood?" 

I'm completely confused by everything that's happening at the moment. I'm sure Flint can see it on my face. Usually I'd act the part I'm playing when I need to tell a lie, that way no one will ever know I'm deciding them. This time however, I don't know what part that is. Is Oliver pretending to be my boyfriend? He couldn't be. That would be completely beside the point. What good would that do anyone. 

"If that's true then why does she look so repelled by you?" Flint sneers. "Maybe it's time to accept defeat, Wood. She doesn't like you. She need someone better than you." 

So It's confirmed then. Oliver is pretending to be my boyfriend. I've heard that usually works. Guys are more likely to stay away from a girl if they think she's spoken for, and rightfully so. But of course Flint would be so thick that he'd be immune. 

"Don't ever speak for me." I warn him. "Ever. Don't tell me whom I like or whom I need. Got it?" Then I do something I wasn't exactly planning for. I grab  the back of Oliver's neck, pull him toward me and kiss him. Smack, on the lips. It's just a kiss, a little longer then a peck,  no where near a snog, but it's a kiss none the less. 

"Was that enough proof?" Oliver asks immediately bouncing back from what must have been at least a bit of a shock. 

Flint didn't say a word. He just shook his head and turned away. 

"If you tell anyone, I'll be sure your team mates find out about second year." I call after him before he's too far to hear. We can't have people finding your about this and asking questions, now can we. 

 

"I'm really really sorry." I tell Oliver while Frank just stares at us in utter disbelief. 

"It's okay. I understand that you had to do it." 

"You should never say 'it's okay'." I correct. "That way the person thinks it's okay to do it again. You should say 'apology accepted' or something like that." 

Oliver smirks and repeats: "It's okay." I don't know why he does it but he does. Probably just being stubborn, Gryffendors always are. 

 

"Can we all agree to forget this ever happened?" I ask Frank and Oliver before we make our way back to the  castle. We decided to just skip the flying and call it a night. Or well I decided and Oliver agreed. 

"Of course." Frank says and Oliver nods his agreement: "If that's what you want." 

"Thanks. We'll see you in class tomorrow I guess." 

"Yah. I guess." And then we go our separate ways. Oliver heads back to the Library to pick up a book and Frank and I make our way back to the Hufflepuff common room. 

 

I realise that I was the one to surest we just forget everything that happened down at the Quidditch pitch. To be honest it's just a little easier said then done. A whole two months have passed and I still haven't forgotten. 

Not that it's an easy task, not at all. No when I'm reminded of the whole thing every time I see Wood in class or in the halls.  He just sits there, or stands around, says 'hello' and then carries on with his life as if nothing ever happened. 

Clearly he'd stuck to the plan. But it's so much more then that. It's like he didn't only forget about that day on the Quidditch pitch but like he forgot completely that we're even friends. We've gone back to coexisting the way we did in the past few years of our lives. Not as friends, not as foes, but as schoolmates. 

If I'm being complete honest I don't like it much. And I'm fully aware that it shouldn't bother me half as much as it does, but I can't help it. It annoys me that Wood could just not care. 

I'm not sure what I expected to happen exactly. I guess I just thought we'd talk about it at some point or another. Or that we'd just talk, about anything really. But it looks as though I was wrong. 

 

"Frank?" I ask her over a butterbeer down at the the three broomsticks. It's become a tradition of ours to have a nice warm beverage ever hogsmead visit, especially in the colder months. 

"Hm?" 

"Do you remember when we where at the Quidditch pitch?" 

"You mean the time you kissed Wood?" I'm sure she meant nothing by the question, but somehow it still irritated me. She could have singled out that visit in so many different ways but she had to go with the kiss. 

"Yah, that's the one." 

"Of course I remember it." She takes a sip from her butter beer. "I thought maybe you'd start to fancy him again after that." 

Sigh. I can't believe this is still going on. The whole, people thinking I fancy Wood thing, I mean. Even when we're not talking to each other somehow people jump to that conclusion. Merlin knows why.

"Why do people always think that?" I say mostly to myself but Frank being Frank has an answer. 

"Because it's the obvious choice. There's no one in school that cares so much about Quidditch. It wouldn't make sense for either of you to go for someone who wasn't as passionate about the sport.   
That would just lead to frustration. Just think about how often you read about professional Quidditchplayers braking up with there significant other because they felt like they didn't have time for each other. It never happens when both people play though. I've even heard that Wood is also aiming for Puddlemore." 

"Where do you always hear suff? I never hear any one say anything that matters." And it's true. I've never once heard anyone talk about my peers or my friends and I've never heard about what other people planed to do once they finished at Hogwarts but   
Frank she's got ears everywhere. People tell her stuff or she overhears something and I just don't know how that works. She takes another sip and then shrugs. Just one of those 'I'm Frank, I can do everything' things I guess.

"Why did you start thinking about that day again?" She asks me after a while. "I thought we where meant to forget that it happened." 

"Well yah, but I don't know, it bothers me." 

"What bothers you? Are you still upset that Flint fancies you?" 

"Well yes. Obviously. But that's not it." I've been putting a great deal of effort into avoiding Flint at all costs. I've turned around halfway down a corridor and gone the other way just because I saw hime coming. 

"Was it because you kissed Wood?" I can tell by Frank's voice that she's treading lightly. Trying not to say anything wrong. 

"No. Of course not. It was just as kiss, nothing to it." 

"Then why did you say all of that with out making eye contact?"   
Sometimes Frank can be a real pain. Not purposely of course and not because she's annoying or anything but just because she notices things about you that you don't. And she always has you figured out. 

" I don't know. It was just a kiss. Really. Nothing too it. But you're right. Somehow it bothers me." 

"Maybe because you feel like it might have ruined your friendship?" See, she's doing it now. Looking thought me and understanding more then I do. 

"Maybe." 

"Look, Pen, maybe you're overthinking the whole thing. Don't you have a game coming up? Just focus on that. Don't think about anything else. Okay?" 

"Okay." 


	5. Post Quidditch

Every now and then a game will fall on the perfect day, when the sun is out and the birds are chirping and a slightest breeze ruffles the leaves on the dark forest. Today is not one of those days. Today is the polar opposite of those days. It's cold, and raining and way too windy and  just generally not very nice conditions to be flying in. 

My finders are numb around the hilt of my bad and I need to hold on tight to prevent it from toppling out of my hands. I look to Cedric a couple of times to make sure he's still atop his broom. And every time I glance over he is, thank goodness.  Chancing a quick glance at Wood I notice that he too is also going strong. Too strong for my liking. I wouldn't mind if he let a Quaffle or two in now and then. But that's not like him, it's not his style. 

I must have been glancing a little longer then I expected because I completely miss the bludger that comes speeding my way until it's almost to late. There's only one way out and that way is down so I release my legs and let myself drop. Not completely of course, I do actually value my life. I just drop out of the bludgers way, still holding on the my broom with one hand. 

It's not too bad of a situation when you think about it. All I need to do is swing myself back up onto the boom and everything will be fine. Unfortunately that's not how things work at Hogwarts. 'Fine' is to easy when you could have 'impending doom'. 

The same Bludger that got me in this position decided to some back to finish the job. It takes everything for me to knock it away just in time. It's not a very strong knock considering that I'm only using one hand and that I'm clinging on the my broom for dear life but it gives me enough time to somehow clamber my way back into  sitting position. 

Without the threat of death by squash lingering over my head I realise just how much damage that swing actually did me as a sharp pain grows in my left shoulder. I take a moment to examine my arm and have to choke back the sick that build up in my throat when I see it hanging, limply by my side. 

It must be dislocated which would mean that that it's basically useless. In that moment I'm just glad it's my left arm that got disabled and not the my right. 

"Where's Potter?" Someone screams. Katie Bell maybe, I can't be sure.  I have a look around to see if maybe I can find the Gryffindor seeker but the owner of the scream is right. I can't see him anywhere.

And then, all of a sudden, I can. I see him falling out of the sky moving towards the ground. Fast. Very fast. Not really in to mood to witness the impact I decide to try and find Cedric. 

When I do he's clutching the Snitch and speeding down towards where Potter's body lies. He's doesn't resemble lasagna, thank goodness, so I follow Cedric down to make sure everything is okay. 

"Out of my way." It's Madam Pomfrey hurrying across the pitch towards the blur of red and yellow that surround the boy on the floor. After that I'm not sure what happens, there's pushing and shoving and pain in my arm and somehow I'm on my way to the Hospital Wing. And Cedric who takes me and he keeps going on an on about the win being unfair and how he didn't know what happened to Potter. To be honest I'm not really listening.   
The Hospital wing's got Potter in one bed and his entire house surrounding him, Caroline included. She spots me and come running over. "Are you okay? Pen?  Are you hurt?" 

"My arm." Is all I manage to say before Madam Pomfrey is also by my side and confirming that, yes, my shoulder is dislocated. Then there's a very very painful pain and then it's better. Not a lot better, but better. 

"You okay?" Cedric asks me. "I need to go speak to Dumbledoor. He told me on the pitch that there can't be a rematch but I can ask again." 

"Go. Set things right. I'll be fine."  And he does go leaving me standing there, the only Hufflepuff in a sea of Red. 

"You too Caro. Go join your house." 

"Are you sure?" 

"Yah." She gives me a hug before going back to stand next to the twins and I take that as my sign to leave. Make my way back to Hufflepuff. 

"Where's Oliver?" I hear Potter ask. He's alive and well. That's good. 

"Taking a shower. We think he's trying to drown himself."  One of the twins joke making a few people laugh. 

I understand how difficult this loss must be for Wood. This is his last year, his last opportunity to win. I can very much relate to that on every possible level. 

 

Completely beside the plan I end up back in the Quidditch pitch, inside the Gryffindor locker room. 

"Oliver?" I call out. "Pleas don't drown yourself." 

The sound of the shower, that I hadn't noticed before due to the still falling rain, stops and there's a rustling sound before Wood is standing in front of me with in nothing but a towel that's wrapped around his waist. I really don't know what I was expecting but this takes me completely by surprise. Not caring at all that it's obvious 

I'm trying not to look at the wet body in front of me I stare at a lion painted on the wall across from me. 

"Penny? What are you doing here?" He's voice is sad. Clearly sad, when what it should be is mad about the opposite team member standing in his looker room.

"Sorry. I just wanted to make sure you don't try to drown yourself."  I'm about to leave. I can only guess at how red my face would be it my skin tone where paler. "Sorry." 

Before I get that chance to even turn away Wood grabs my hand. "Wait." 

That's all he says. Nothing follows. He just stands there holding onto my hand looking at me with big sad eyes. 

"Are you okay?" I ask even though I already know the answer. 

"Not really." And then he starts to cry. Some people might think it silly to cry over loosing a Quidditch game. Those people can bugger off and leave the rest of us alone. 

I pull Oliver into a hug. It's not a very pleasant hug seeing as he's drenched from the shower and I'm drenched from the rain and everything is cold and wet and my shoulder still hurts but when he let's his face fall into the crook of my neck I decide it's best to just keep holding on. 

You have to understand that I'm not tall. I'm not even average hight, at least not in Europe. Which makes this hug really rather awkward. Oliver's back is hunched and I'm on my tippy toes and it's starting to get tiring. Slowly, I sink down unto the floor pulling Wood with me so that we're both sitting and the hight difference is less of a problem. 

Once he's all cried out Oliver lifts his head to look at me. I offer a small reassuring smile, an 'it's all going to be okay' kind of smile.   
He doesn't smile back, not even a little. What he does do is lean forward until his face is close to mine. I can feel the tip of his nose gently touching my nose as I try very hard not to move. 

I can feel is warm breath on my face and I'm sure that's something that works both ways. I try to look at the situation from an outsiders point of view. Objectively. I'm sure the whole thing looks very romantic and wonderful. I mean Oliver is a good looking bloke and he's got an accent that could probably impregnate women and now he's centimetres way from my face and his breathing is deep and my heart is racing. It's a scene right out of the books my sister always reads. 

What I should do is lean in the tiniest bit more until out lips brush gently agains each other and then let him do the rest. What I do do is think about how incredibly gross the wet floor is and how my Quidditch robes cling uncomfortably to my flesh and how my shoulder still hurts. 

"Oliver?" I inquire quietly, barely string the air. But still my word was loud enough to get a reaction. Its not a very good reaction though. Oliver pulls back, blinks at me a few times and then he just get's up and leaves. Just like that. No goodbye or anything. 

I can now objectively say that this is worse. This is worse then it was a while a go because my shoulder still hurts and my robes are still wet and uncomfortable and the floor is still icky but now the pretty face that was just here is gone and it took the sexy accent with it and it just left me sitting in a locker room of a house that isn't mine and very very confused. 

 

Occasionally, when you've been wet and cold for a longer amount of time, it can happen that you get sick. During and after the last Quidditch game I was wet and con't for a pretty extended amount of time which lead to me being sick. 

It's never fun when a fever decided to posses your body, it's even less fun when all you can think about during the days in which you're bedridden is Oliver Wood. I'm being a little dramatic, considering that I was only actually so sick that I could get out of bed for two days but that doesn't mean I haven't had a cold for the past week. 

Tossing yet another snot filled wad of tissue into the fire in the common room I groan and let myself fall over so I'm laying on the floor. 

"Whoa now." Frank materialises next to me and lifts my head into her lap. For a second, but only a second I let myself imagine that it's Wood in her place. Then I groan again because ever since the game day preposterous thoughts like that have popped into my head.

"Do you want another cup of tea?" Frank runs her fingers though my hair in the most soothing kind of way. 

"No thank you." 

"Is there anything else I can get you?" 

"My health." I make an attempt at a joke but fail miserably considering that I don't look at all like I'm joking. My eyes are all watery and my nose is read and my hair hasn't been brushed in days and in comparison Frank looks like an angel watching over me. 

"You'll be better soon. Just you wait." Frank reassures me  helping me up and into our dorm room. 

 

Classes the next day are hell. Or at least more so then they usually. My head is pounding and all I really want to do is lie down on something or lean my head against a wall. 

In potions Snape comes up to me to harries me about one thing or another but I'm not really sure what exactly it is. To be honest I just don't really care. I just nod at him over and over until he goes away, which eventually he does. 

Transfiguration is worse. That class actually requires thinking and thinking is not something I'm in the state to do. 

"Still ill, Waters? Wood?" McGonigal asks. Wood? Is Oliver sick too? I look around the classroom. And sure enough, way in the back, sits Oliver Wood with a red nose and watery eyes. 

"I'm sorry, Professor." We both say at the same time. We don't say it in unison or whatever, because that doesn't actually ever happen but we do start the sentence in the same moment. 

 

After the class I wait at the door for Oliver. 

"You're in quite a state, aren't you?" He asks me, expression black and completely deadpan. 

"Again with the kettle and the pot." I try to sound smart. 

He just gives me a blank face and then proceeds to walk out there door. Oh no he doesn't. I grab hold of his arm. 

"What do you want, Waters?" He sounds almost hostile. I don't like it much. 

"I just thought we would talk about what happened." 

"What happened?" 

"I don't know. That's why I want to talk about it." I explain. "I mean one minute something was defiantly going on and the next you walked out into the pouring rain in a towel. Ring any bells?" 

"We don't need to talk. I already know what you're going to say." Wood grumbles. 

"And what's that?" 

"You're going so say we should just forget it happened. And you'll say please because you think adding a 'please' makes it all okay." 

"What?" I don't know why he's being like this, all rude and bad tempered but it's defiantly not doing anything for my mood. I remind myself to say calm about it and not get mad or annoyed. 

"It's forgotten, oaky? Happy now?" Then we yanks his arm free and walks out.  At this point I'm more then a little confused. I've no idea what to make of Oliver's mood but I can't help feeling responsible. I'm not sure what exactly I did to piss him off but I know that it was me. 


	6. Chapter 6

"I don't understand." I moan to Frank and Cedric later that day. " _He_ leaned _his_  face in to me. All I did was- well noting really, I did nothing." 

"How do you mean you did nothing?" Cedric asks. 

"I mean I did nothing. I just sat there frozen into place. It was pretty uncomfortable actually." 

"You mean to tell me that Oliver Wood tried to kiss you and you where thinking about how uncomfortable it was?" Cedric pulled an outraged face. "Penny Waters, you're quite something." 

"I'm sorry." When Cedric put's it that way I feel really bad about the whole thing. Should I have done something? Moved or something? "It was cold and wet and the floor was really hard and my shoulder hurt- Wait. No. He wasn't trying to kiss me." 

"Yes he was." Cedric argued. "Believe me okay, he was." 

"But why- ?" I start and then I'm reminded of the talk I had with Frank about Wood and I being 'compatible'. 

"Pen, you're a pretty girl. Despite you're stubborn aggression towards doing your hair and making an effort in general-" 

"So?" I cut him of before he can go on yet another rant about 'how pretty I could be if only I tried'. 

"So, you're quite nice to look at, you both have this love passionate love for the same sport and you're a fantastic person all in all. "Frank takes over. "Maybe he fancies you." 

"No." I don't even take a moment to consider the possibility. It's just: No.  Neither of my friends argue but Cedric roles his eyes more then once. 

 

 

That night in bed that's all I can think about. Only in the dead of night when everyone else is asleep do I allow myself to believe that there's a possibility that maybe Oliver might like me, a little. But that wouldn't explain why he was so grumpy today. 

Should I have kissed him? But where would that have brought us? The last time we did that we stopped talking to each other. Unfortunately this time I feel like we've stop talking even with out having locked lips. 

 

"Are you sure you don't fancy him at all?" Frank ask me a few days later when we're talking about Wood once again. 

"Of course I'm sure. I think I'd know if I fancied someone." 

"Not even a little? I mean you thought about kissing him that time in the locker room?" 

"Sure, but he's cute and the moment was all steamy and stuff, but I want to kiss lot's of people. That doesn't mean I fancy all of them." 

 

 

When it get's dark that night, after several classes with Mr. Quidditch himself (as well as his uncomfortable silent treatment), I'm left alone with my thoughts. Again. It's been almost a week of Oliver Wood, late at night thoughts at this point and I'm no where closer to figuring out the solution to my problem. Or what my problem actually is. 

Frank doesn't say much else on the matter, she must, however, notice that my mind is reeling because she gets out of her bed and climbed into my own. We spend a fair amount of times sleeping in each others beds (and arms) because there's nothing on earth that's more comforting the cuddling with your best friend.  She then takes the book that's on my bedside table and begins to read out loud:  "Feeling that Peter was on his way back, the Neverland had again woke into life. We ought to use the pluperfect and say wakened, but woke is better and was always used by Peter." 

I fall asleep nestled up to Frank, not for the first time and probably  not for the last. Images of my childhood hero lulled me into a slumber and eventually into a dream in which I was soaring thought the sky towards the second star to the right. But I'm not flying like Peter, no I'm flying on a broom and soon the London rooftops transform into a quidditch pitch, but I'm not play. In fact I'm not even on a broom anymore, I'm on the ground and Oliver is there with me. And we're holding each other. And then we're..... That dream was a first .

 

I wake up panting and covered in my own sweat, suddenly sitting up in my bed. As one could imagine Frank wakes up as well and looks up at me with worry written all over her face. 

"Are you okay?" She asks placing the back of her hand against my forehead. "Nightmare?" 

"Yeah." I say before thinking about it. "Well... Sorta. Well... No. Just a dream."

"Must have been an intense dream. You're drenched in sweat." 

"Um... Yeah. Oliver was in it." I avoid eye contact. Intense is defiantly a good way to describe it.

"Is that so?" 

"Yeah. And there was.... contact. Of the physical sort. Quite a lot of it actually. And wandering hands. Belonging to both parties." 

"Did you have a wet dream!?" Frank exclaims not quite as quietly as I wold have likes. Thankfully none of the other girls wake up. 

"No. I did not. It was a dry dream. Very dry. No moisture what so ever." I defend myself. 

"But you did dream about him." 

"I've seen him in nothing but a towel. Can you blame me?" I think back to that day and all that happened then and I become painfully aware of the fact that I do actually fancy Oliver. And I didn't before I fell asleep earlier, but I do now. Dreams are a burden.

"I need to find him later." I decide then and there. "I'll give him a thimble." 

"Why?" 

"I don't know. I just want to." 

"Okay. But it's 3am. Sleep first." Frank insists. 

 

 

When I wake up I'm full of excitement and anticipation. I get dressed in record time and sprint all the wait to the great hall. It's still pretty early so there aren't whole lot of people yet but I wasn't going to risk arriving after Oliver left. 

Quite to my liking I don't need to wait too long before the Gryffindor captain enters thought the big doors. I grab a slice of toast from the table, run up to him, grab his hand and pull him out into the corridor. 

"What in the world are you doing?" Oliver asks annoyed and maybe a little dumbfounded. 

"I want to talk to you." I decide to just ignore his irritated expression. 

"I need to get to breakfast." He tries to get away but I don't let go of his hand. He's much stronger than me and could break free if he wanted to and him not doing so reassures me that I'm not completely violating him right now.  I hand him the pice of toast and smile a little but he's still not amused. 

"Waters, I'm serious." 

"So am I. And I'm sorry. Please just hear me out. Please, please, please?" I'm guessing for our last interaction that he's not a big fan of the pleading but I'm not sure what else I'm supposed to do. 

"Fine." 

"Okay. Thank you, than you, thank you." I smile broader. "Okay. First I want to give you something." I hold out my hand with a little, silver thimble balanced on my palm. Oliver picks it up and examine it. 

"It's a thimble but it's also a kiss." I explain. 

"I don't understand." His expression is still filled with annoyance which is really killing my motivation. Maybe the thimble wasn't such a good idea. It's all Frank's fault for reading me Peter Pan last night. And my subconscious for something meddling Peter Pan with Oliver Wood while I slept. I shake the thought away and carry on. 

"It's not Important. Just please keep it." He sighs but nods which makes me smile some more and bounce a little. "Okay and secondly I want to say that I'm sorry and that I don't want to forget about anything that happened and that I don't want us to not be friends. You're important, Oliver, you mean stuff to me." 

"I mean  _stuff_  to you?" 

"Yes. Important stuff." At first I think he's going to be mad but then he starts to laugh. I'm not complaining but I'm also a little confused. 

"You've got this thing about you, Penny. You're always like an exited child." Oliver says though fits of laughter. 

"Thanks, mate." I deadpan. 

"No, in a good way. It's nice." 

"Oh. Thanks." I repeat, genuinely this time. "So are we good?" 

"We're good." 

"Yay. Now you really should go get some breakfast before class." I give his hand a quick squeeze and then release it. 

 

 

 

"Are you going to ask Cho to the next Hogsmeade weekend?" I poke Cedric in the side several times. 

"Yes." He states matter of factly. "Are you going to pluck up the courage and finally ask Oliver?" 

"No. Frank and I are going together. Isn't that right, Frank?" I look over to Frank but she isn't nodding in excitement like I expected. Instead her eyes are wide and she looks a lot like a deer in the headlights. 

"Um. Actually, Pen, I have some work I need to catch up on." Even though her look is apologetic and I know she'd rather be out with me then studying I can't help but feel a little disappointed. "I'll go with you if you really really want me to but I would rather just stay behind and work a little." 

"But it's still cold out." I protest. "We're meant to wear scarves and mittens and hats with bobbles on top of them and then go to the three broomsticks and have butterbeer and talk about philosophy or some something." 

"I know. I know, but can't you maybe do those things with Caro? It's been a while since you two had some sister alone time." 

"Well no. I can't. She's going with Fred." Caroline told me last week that Fred asked her to go to Hogsmeade with him and that's all good and dandy and I wish they have a good time but couldn't she have picked a weekend that isn't the one where Frank is too busy for fun. 

"That's good for her." Frank's being genuine.

"Yeah." I'm not. 

"Oh come on, Pen. Don't be like this. Remember the weekend you skipped because you wanted to practice for Quidditch try outs?" 

"Yah, but that weekends work is what got me on the team as opposed to a substitute." 

"And this weekends work might be what get's me a good enough score on my NEWTS to become an Auror. " Frank argues very wisely. Of course she's right, she's always right. And she always has fantastic points. I guess Cedric will get his way after all and I'll just have to ask Oliver to go with me.

"Yeah, you're right. Now excuse me while I go seek out a keeper." 

 

It's not until you try to look for someone that you realise how bloody huge Hogwarts actually is. There are endless corridors and passages that lead no where and staircases that change. I must have been searching for at least an hour already, and all of it in vain. 

Eventually, somehow, by chance I happen across Oliver who's just walking around, muttering to himself. 

"Hi." I step in front of him, grinning. 

"Do you ever stop smiling?" He asks me even though he's smiling as well. 

"Well yes. I'm almost sure I won't be smiling if you say 'no' to my next question." 

"And what's that?" 

"Do you maybe, possibly want to go to Hogsmeade with me tomorrow? Frank is busy and Caro is a traitor." The words spill out of my mouth maybe a little too quickly. I didn't realise before how nervous I actually was about this. But now I can feel the dampness in my palms and the racing of my heart. 

"Whoa, slow down." Oliver laughed. "And yes, I'd love too." 

"Really?" I can feel my eyes go wide and my smile grow. 

"Yes. I'll meet you at 9am on the grounds?" He suggests. 

"Yeah, okay." I agree and then hop of feeling like a child who's been given a pony. 

 

I'm up way before 9 the next day just pacing around my room. Usually I only get like this before Quidditch games. For the first time ever I'm stressing about what I was going to wear. Well, what I'm going to wear under my jumper and coat and scarf. 

Deciding that the really shouldn't mater I just pull on a blue turtleneck and a hufflepuff jumper on top of it, and a scarf and a hat with a bobble on top. 

I'm an hour early but I don't mind because it's a wonderful day. It's still cold but the snow is gone and the sun is shining. Most of the hour is spent taking in vitamin d and enjoying the warmth on my skin. 

 

"Have you been waiting long?" Olive asks me, appearing out of no where.

"No." I lie. I don't really fancy telling him that I've been here for ages because I was too antsy about today and keep pacing around  the dorm.

"Good." He holds out his gloved hand and I take it with out hesitation. "Shall we?" 

"We shall." 

 

On the way down we talk about Quidditch mostly and it's nice to not fear that I might be annoying him with all the sports talk. 

"Why beater?" Oliver asks me. 

"I don't know. I was good at baseball so I thought I'd just give it a go and I ended up liking it." 

"What's Baseball?" I can't help but laugh. I forget sometimes that the muggle world is completely uncharted territory for a lot of my friends and that some of the things I say must sound like complete gibberish. 

"It's a sport where you wack a ball with a bat. A bit like cricket. It's not really important." 

"A muggle sport?" 

"Yah. It's american so they don't play it here much but the school I went to had a team." 

"There's different muggel sports in different countries?" The look Oliver gives me is priceless and I can't help but laugh again. 

"Kind of. Some sports are more international then others. Like Football." I explain. 

"That's the sport that you like?" 

"It's a sport I follow. I don't play it though. You know what. Never mind." I add wanting to go back to talking about Quiddich. "What made you want to be a keeper?" 

"I used to play against my father when I was little. He never scored past me. Sometimes I think he let me win, but I guess that doesn't matter now, since it gave me the passion and drive to be a keeper." 

"Even if he did, it made you believe in yourself enough to try out for the team leading you to this point in time where you are know by the whole school as that guy who cares more about a win then abut the life of his seeker." I joke.

"I care plenty about my team. And of course I want them to be okay... after they played the best they could." He's not joking. He's completely serious. It makes me chuckle a little but also admire him all the more. That level of complete dedication to the game is rare. I've seen it only ever in one other person, and that person is usually standing inside my mirror. 

"I understand. If you're not willing to get hit by a bludger or two then why try out in the first place." 

"That's exactly what I told Fred and George on there first day." Oliver says making me laugh. I've heard a comment of two exchanged between the twins about what there captain is like as a captain and they where all very much intended to take the micky. 

"Why do you let them pick on you?" 

"Why do you let Diggory pick on you?" He asks not answering my question. 

"Coz I pick on him back." I explain that our entire relationship is built on us picking on each other but that we both know nothing is meant by it. 

"You don't fancy him do you?"

I pull a face, a very attractive face I'm sure. "No. Of course not." 

"He's very Charming." Wood insists. "A good looking lad, fantastic seeker and-" 

I cut him off before he can keep going. "Like a brother to me. Besides, it sounds like you're quite found of him and I wouldn't want to get in the middle of that." 

"Huh?" 

"I can set you up with him if you like, I'm sure he'd be on board with it." I teas poking him in the side a couple of times smirking up at his blank face. Just in case I play it safe and say: "I'm kidding."

The joke wasn't as well received as I thought it would be so I decide to just drop it and quickly change the topic to out first games. Oliver tells me about his first match and how he was hit by a bludger right at the beginning of the game. I don't tell him so but I remember watching that game and getting so scared I almost backed out of my first game two week later. What made it worse was that it only became my first game because the beater who was meant to play got injured in training and I got put in as a reserve. I do tell him that bit. 

The whole time he keeps holding on to my hand. It's a little strange. Not a bad strange, though not a good strange either. Just strange. 

 

 


	7. Chapter 7

As usual I find myself in the Three Broomsticks, however this time It's wit Oliver Wood rather then Frank. It's a little odd and I keep having to stop myself from saying some of the things that I would have thoughtlessly spewed out if it had been Frank I was talking to. 

For instance I almost blurted out that my period was late and that I was worried I might be pregnant. Obviously I'm not actually worried I'm pregnant because a certain intimate act is required in order for that sort of thing to happen and there have been no intimate acts of that level in my life since..... well there have never been intimate acts of that level in my life. Frank would know that and jokingly ask me what I was planing on naming the baby. Oliver on the other hand might not recognise the attempt at humour so I'm glad that I somehow caught myself mid sentence and made it seam like it was a potions deadline I was late for. 

Another time I almost tell him how happy I am that Fred asked Caro to Hogsmeade this weekend but decide that neither Fred or Caro would be too pleased about me spreading that information. Or at least that's what I though, but when I see the two of them walk into the three broomsticks together I decide they musn't care too much about it. 

"Caro."  I call my sister over to say hi. 

"Pen. Oliver." She says raising her eyebrow at me suggestively. I've told her about the whole Oliver thing and sometimes I regret it just a little. 

"Cars. Weasley." I say back in the exact same way.

"Yeah, well. Have a nice day." She says and the pulls Fred as far away from us as possible. She probably realised that she's more likely to get embarrassed by me then the other way around. 

"You know Caroline?" Oliver asks. 

"Yah. She's my sister." 

"She's your sister?" He was completely not expecting that and I can see it clearly on his face. It never occurred to me before that people might not realise that we're siblings but when I give it a second thought I can compliantly understand the misunderstanding. 

"But you don't look anything alike." 

"We're adopted." I explain. 

"Both of you?" 

"Yup. And we've got another sister and a brother back home." 

"All adopted?" 

"Yes well, we have two fathers so the biological children thing might be a little difficult." I joke but the second the words have left my mouth I regret it. I don't usually like to talk about my dad's because sometimes people can be a little mean about it.

I guess my eyes must have gone wide or something because Oliver laughs and says: "Don't worry. I don't hate Queers or anything." 

"Thank Merlin, because I would have honestly had to reconsider my crush on you if you did." Again I immediately regret it. I need to learn to think before I speak, I really do. 

"You're crush on me?" Oliver questions, smirking. 

"No." I try to back-pedal. "That's not what I meant." 

"That's too bad." He says, his face suddenly much much closer to mine. "Because if you did have a crush on me I'd be feel the urge to kiss you right about now." 

His new found confidence and cheekiness take me by surprise. It's comply un-Oliver and completely sexy. 

"Well, you should defiantly still do that, just in case." I say nodding and smiling like an idiot. 

"Just in case." He repeats and uses his thumb to very gently lift my chin.

I'm staring into his eyes now and they are getting closer and closer to mine. Soon he'll be so close that he'll go blurry so I decide it's probably best to close my eyes before that happens. I know he's still getting closer because I can feel his breath on my face and my heart begins to beat faster as I realise that this is going to be our first proper kiss. 

I feel lips lips against mine just the tiniest bit when a familiar and oh so disliked voice makes me pull back in shock: "Isn't that just cute." 

It's Flint. I open my eyes to be comforted by his annoying face which forces me to let out an irritated sigh. Couldn't he have been a bother some other time. 

"What do you want?" I groan. 

"Just thought I'd remind you that Hufflepuff is playing Slytherin next week. Hope you're not too distracted." 

"Go away." I tell him and when he doesn't move I add: "Please?" Still noting. I hate it when people don't respond to _please_. Like I was trying to be nice but you rejected my kindness so whatever is coming is your own fault. 

"Look Flint." It's Oliver who's talking now. "Can we not do this right now? Let's save the competition for the pitch. Okay?" 

"Okay. See you on the pitch, Waters." 

"Unfortunately." I mumble as he walks away looking back multiple times. 

 

"I'm really sorry Flint had come and ruin everything." I say as we make our way back to the castles. 

"It's not your fault." Oliver shakes his head smiling a little. 

"Isn't it? If your theory is right, and he fancies me then that's probably why he came over, right?" A silver down my spine when I think about Flint liking my at all in any way, even the friendship kind of way.  I couldn't be friends with someone that's that mean to people. I mean he even bullies first years. 

"Don't worry about it Penny. It's not your fault." Oliver reassures me. "Besides the rest of the day wasn't so bad." 

"Yeah. The rest of the day was pretty good." I agree. Buying way too much candy at Honeydukes never fails to cheer me up after a perfectly romantic moment was rudely interrupted by a first class prick. Not that that's a situation I fin myself in often.

 

"How was your date?" I ask Cedric once I'm back in the Hufflepuff common room.

"It went very well, thanks for asking. How was yours?" 

"It was good." I reply. "But it wasn't a date." 

"Really? Because Flint's been telling people that you two where snogging in the three broomsticks." 

I can't believe Flint would tell people that. Well I can believe it but that doesn't make it any less upsetting. I mean who does he think he is just walking around running peoples lives. And all this time I though that Pansy girl was bad. 

"Our lips barley touched." I defend myself. "That's when he came in and ruined it." 

"So it was a date." Cedric questioned smirking that smirk that made me want to punch him. 

"No." I protest. "It was two friends hanging out with a potential kiss hanging in the air." 

"Your denial is cute." 

"Everything about me is cute. I don't need denial for that." I stick out my tongue and retreat back to my dorm room before he can be more of a prat.    

 


	8. Chapter 8

Never in my life have I been this nervous for a game. This is my last game on the Hufflepuff team. Maybe it's the last game I'll ever play. 

 

To make it all worse Flint is targeting me more then he usually does. I mean yeah he doesn't usually play very fair but this time I feel like he's being extra mean.  Not only that, he keeps saying the word 'Hufflepuff' like it's really bad and like I should be ashamed to be one which is not something that sits well with me. At all. 

"Leave me alone." I scream at him when he flies particularly close to me, despite the Quaffle being no where near where I am. 

When he still tails me I swing the next Bludger in his direction and can't help feeling a little good about myself when it it's his shoulder. I know that's horrible of me but he stops following me after that so I'm not really going to apologise for it. 

It's not a particularly long game and I hate to say this but we loose. We loose real bad. Once I'm out of sight of the general public I punch a wall. A little to hard maybe because I hand hurts a lot now.

"Fuck me!" I scream cradling my hand. This was my last opportunity to be fantastic. My last chance to make sure I'm remembered as a Quidditch player but it looks like that's not going to happen. 

"Careful Waters." I hear Oliver's voice behind me and turn around to look at him. "I know a few people who'd be willing to take you up on that offer." 

I know he's joking and I wan't to smile and laugh, especially since he's died his hair yellow for the game and it's the most adorable thing ever, but I can't really bring myself too. Instead I say: "You're coming of really sexual predator-y at the moment. It wasn't an offer, it was an expression of unimaginable disappointment." 

"I know." Oliver says. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to make you smile." 

And just like that I feel bad for snapping. Of course he was just trying to be nice and I had to go and be all bitchy about it. 

"Right. It's appreciated." I say. "I know it doesn't seam like it, but really it is." 

"Okay, look. I know how you must be feeling so how about you get cleaned up and change and then we go to the kitchen for tea and cheesecake?" 

"Deal." I say allowing myself to smile this time. It still sucks that we lost and my hand still kind of hurts, which I'm not going to admit to anyone though, and I don't know how I'm going to make a career now but I can worry about all those things later. In fact I know I'll worry about those things later so I think it's okay if I give myself a tea break. 

 

When I leave the Hufflepuff dressing room in my hufflepuff jumper Oliver is waiting for me with Frank and they are both talking about something that seams to interest the both of them. Oliver's hair is back to it's normal colour but Frank is still in full consume. Yellow hair, yellow face paint, Yellow Jumper. The whole Shabang. 

"Hey, Pen!" Frank exclaims when she sees me. "You played really well." 

"No I didn't." I try to protest but both of them start shaking there heads at me. 

"You really did." Oliver reassures me. "You would have won if Slytherin played fair. I guarantee it." 

"Ugg. Right." I groan. 

"Come on." Oliver picks me up and throws me over his shoulder. "Let's get you to the kitchen before your mood get's any worse." 

"Excuse me, at least I'm not crying on the locker room floor." I teas and as I do so I can see Frank giving me a knowing look and wink which I'm glad Oliver can't see. I'm also glad he can't see my face, considering that I'm still flung over his shoulder. 

"Who's crying?" It's Cedric which makes me burst into a fit of laughter. 

"No one." Oliver says a little to quickly making me laugh even more. 

"We're going to the kitchen. Wanna join us?" I try to deflect the attention away form Oliver while still choking on giggles. 

"Yah. I could use with a pick me up right about now." 

 

So the four of us go to the Kitchen after Oliver puts me down, because I'm perfectly capable of walking by my self, thank you very much, and have a pretty nice meal consisting mainly of sweets. There's a lot of joking around and goofing off which is nice considering the event's from earlier in the day. 

I don't know how long we're there just not being where we need to be for as long as possible before Frank points out that we need to be getting back to the common room soon but just was we are about to go our separate ways Oliver says: "Wait. Pen. Wait five more minutes." 

"I don't want to be out after dark." I say despite really wanting to stay five more minutes. 

"You won't. I promise." Oliver reaches out to grab onto my hand. Well, how am I meant to say no when he goes and does something like that? I agree to stay only a little while longer and Frank and Cedric make sure the do a lot of eyebrow reading and winking while they walk away. I think Oliver finds it a little amusing, judging by the stupid smile on his face.  

We stand outside the kitchen by the fruit painting until Frank and Cedric are completely out of view. That's when Oliver positions himself so that I'm standing between him and the wall and let me just say that the space between the two is not particularly large. Hell, I'd even go so far as to say it was small.

Standing here, this close to probably the cutest guy in our year if not the whole school, looking up at him I realise two things. 1) If there was any doubt in my mind that I fancied him it's now gone..... very far way. 2)I'm bloody short. 

My heart does that thing that you read about in books and my chest feels all tight while Oliver whispers: "This is more then a little overdue." And with that Oliver pressed his lips against mine. Properly this time. 

 

I've kissed people before, especially in the summer before this school year started when my eldest sister took Caro and I with her to parties but every time I did I was always aware of something I shouldn't have been aware of, like the fact that kissing was nothing like it was described as in the books, or that the positioning of my hands felt wrong or that it just didn't feel as good as it was supposed to. 

But this time, for the first time, it was different. I wasn't worried if my hands where awkward because I was too busy using them to pull him closer to me and run though his hair. I wasn't thinking about how the kiss was too fast and with out passion because this time it was a slow kiss and most defiantly not one lacking passion. And most importantly this time I wasn't thinking about how my body wasn't reacting to the touch because this time it most certainly was. I could feel butterflies in my stomach and my heart going crazy and my entire body warming up, especially on the side of my face and the back of my neck where Oliver's hands where. 

All the times I had snogged someone before I was always the one to pull way abut this time It's Oliver. His face is red and flushed and his lips are puffy his hair is a mess and he's never looked this good before with is really difficult to imagine considering that he's not exactly unfortunate looking. 

"And here I thought you only excelled at Quidditch." His voice was low and sexy. 

"You weren't so bad yourself." I reply when I realise what he actually said. "Hey. What do you mean 'only'? You think Quidditch is the only think I'm good at?" 

"No. That came out wrong." Oliver chuckled. "I'm in a bit of a haze right now. I've wanted to do that for quite a while now." 

"Why didn't you?" I ask. I honestly doubt I would have minded much if he had kissed me any sooner. Especially now that I know what kissing Oliver Wood is like. 

"I was a little scared to after your reaction when I told you that Flint might fancy you." I remember how I basically had an emotional break down when Oliver give me that particular piece of news. I also remember all the times I used the word 'ew' or other such words often used to express disgust. 

"And I also want you know that I never once thought of you while-" Oliver went suddenly very red. "You know." At first I don't know and I want to tell him so but then I remember Frank talking about teenaged boys and there 'needs'. 

I think he said it to reassure me or something but instead it's a bit of a blow to the ego. "Why? You don't think I'm hot enough? Coz I'm willing to take my shirt of here and now to prove you wrong." 

"Whoa there Waters." Wood says smirking like a cheshire cat. "That's not at all why I meant. I just know how upset you where when you thought that's what Flint was doing and I didn't want to give you a reason to be that upset at me." 

"Aw." That's actually really sweet and I really appreciate it. "Is it okay if I kiss you again?" 

He leans in and I'm so sure he's about to press his lips to mine a second time but instead he says: "Not just now. I think you should probably be getting back." 

"I thought guys where supposed to have like stronger sex drives or something. You're supposed to jump at the opportunity." I huff. 

"I want to. Belive me." Oliver smirks. "But I also made a promise to make sure you get back before being out counts a breaking the rules so this is me keeping that promise." 

"That just makes me want to kiss you even more." I say telling the truth. 

"You can. Soon enough."

"Is that a promise?" I ask. 

"Yes. Promise." He smirks back at me. 

 

I guess I must be smiling when I get back to the common room because both Frank and Cedric want to know what happened and if we finally kissed. 

"You could put it that way, yah." I say trying not to be all giggly. 

"How was it?" Frank asked.

"Oh you know. Just fantastic." I beam. 

"Better then Nina?" 

"So much better then Nina." 

"Wait, who's Nina?" Cedric questions. 

"Kind of a summer fling. Not really though." I say not really in the mood to explain. 

"And Nina is a girl, yes?" 

"Yah. Is that a problem?" I really don't want to talk about Nina right now. I want to talk about Oliver but if I need to explain why a same sex relationship is not a bad thing, in any way, at all, then I will. 

"No. Of course not." Cedric says and I can tell that he means it. "I'm just curious." 

"All you need to know about Nina is that he snogged a few times over the summer and went on like two dates and that I'm glad it didn't work out because that would mean that I couldn't be as happy about snogging Oliver tonight, okay?" 

"Okay." He agrees. "But one last thing: How did you have time for her? You're always busy practicing." 

"I live in the muggle world remember. I can't exactly go flying a broom around Brighton can I?" 

"You're probably right." 

 


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I realise that this chapter isn't true to JKR's Harry Potter considering that Cho and the Twins would have known about the RoR but for the sake of Fanfiction Im just going to pretend it isn't so.

You'd think that when I woke up in the morning I'd be all giddy and so on from the events from the night before but instead I'm just really down about loosing the game. 

 

My entire future depended on me playing well this year and now we've gone and lost 2 out of 3 games and the one we won was only because there happened to be Dememntors targeting the opposing teams Seeker. 

I decide the best thing to do is ask Cedric about it. I mean he's a Quidditch Captain and he grew up in the Wizarding world. He's aught to know more then me. 

"You could try for the Holyhead Harpies.  They are an all female team and I've heard they don't often get a lot of skilled beaters trying out." 

"Wait. There's such thing?" I ask never having heard of them before. If I'm compliantly honest I haven't hear of particularly many Quidditch teams before. I only know about Puddlemere because in the summer of my third year Frank's family took me to see a game. 

"Yah. I'm sure they would love you." Cedric beams at me. "Why don't you send them an owl and inquire about trying out." 

"I think I'll go do that now." I say already feeling much better. This is good. I have options and maybe that last loss didn't ruin everything for me. Sure I could also try to get a job I like in the muggle world but I honestly prefer Quidditch to almost every sport, other then maybe Water polo but I haven't really heard anything ever about an english water polo team.

 

I want to make Frank go with me to the owlry once I've written and inquiry letter but she look busy with her nose in a book so I decide to leave her be. I also can't find Cedric anywhere and decide with out any actually proof of the matter, that he must be with Cho and that I most defiantly need to take the mickey out of him latter. 

Today is a little colder then I anticipated for seeing as it's meant to be spring, almost summer even. But no, it's cold out and I've left my jumper in the castle. Unsure what else I can possibly do I just suck it up and pull though. It's not like it's so cold that I fear I might get hypothermia or anything but, damn, it's still very chilly. 

I use Caro's owl and have her send a note to my sister letting her know before her pet goes off to deliver a letter to the all girl Quidditch team. 

 

It's about a week later, also a week closer to the NEWTS, that I get an owl back during the morning mail. Up until this point I've been dying to here back from them but now that it's actually here I can't bring myself to open it and it feels as though my stomach has been replaced with a black hole. 

"How about I open it and tell you what it says?" Frank asks me after I've been staring at it for a good ten minutes. Unable to do much else I just nod. I don't know what I'm so nervous about and I really don't see what the worst that can happen is and yet here I am more anxious then I've ever been before in my life, and that's including my first ever swim meat where I was so nervous I ended up being sick. 

The entirety of the minute that Frank is reading I'm not feeling well. My vision even goes blurry which usually only happens when I push myself past my physical limit, which if I'm honest is maybe a little too often. 

"Oh. This is good." Frank exclaims towards the end allowing me to breath again. "They want to meet you after you're done at Hogwarts. They think you might have a really good shot of making the team."  

"Wait. Really?" I'm completely taken aback. I feel like this is all to easy. 

"Yah. You don't even need any NEWTS." 

"WAIT. REALLY?" I repeat. This is defiantly too easy. There's got to be some catch. Something to rain on my parade. 

"Oh, but it's in Whales." There it is. There's the 'but'. But it's an okay 'but'. I can live with this 'but'. 

"That's fine. That's so so fine." I'm beaming. Of course I'll go to whales if I have too, no doubt about it. 

As per usual Frank knows me better then I know me and she anticipates what I want to do before I know I want to do it. "You should go tell Oliver." 

"I should go tell Oliver." I repeat realising what a brilliant idea that is and that that's exactly what I want to do right not. I hug Frank, because it's a hug kind of day and make my way down to the Quidditch pitch. 

I know that on this particular day Oliver doesn't have class in the morning because I don't either and I often bump into him while running a few laps or flying a bit. 

As expected he's there and he's looking at me as though he's expecting me. 

"Hi." I smile a him maybe a little to broadly but then again the last week has been full of broad smiling in his direction. And so far the smile has been returned so I don't think we have a problem. 

"I have news." He says. 

"Me TOO!" I can't keep the excitement out of my voice. But I want to here his news first. "But you go first." 

"Okay." Oliver smiles and takes a step towards me. "Puddlemere wasn't to meet me." 

"OH MY GOD THAT'S GREAT!" I fling myself at him wrapping my harms around his neck. Like I said, it's a big day for hugs. 

"What's your news?" 

"The Holyhead Harpies want to meet me." I say stepping back a little because I want to see his face. He beams at me but I don't get to see a whole lot of it because very soon he's so close to me that I couldn't possibly make out anything even if my eyes where open. So close in fact that we're snogging. 

Again it's Oliver who pulls away to put both hands on the side of my face and say: "I know they will love you. You're a fantastic beater." 

"And you're one hell of a keeper, I mean I bet you'd be a brilliant goalie too. That's how good you are." 

"I don't know what you're on a about but I don't care." He kisses me again. Just quickly, just a peck but it's nice. It's defiantly nice. 

"We should celebrate." 

"NEWTS are just around the corner." I say. I want to celebrate. I do but at the same time I'm not prepared at all for the upcoming tests and if Frank didn't promise to help me study I'm sure I'll fail. 

"One night?" Oliver pleas. "Then I'll leave you alone to study until we graduate. We could go to the room of requirements." 

Oliver's face is enough for me to want  to really really bad and I guess if it's just the one night off I'll be okay. I mean Frank manages to get kick ass scores even though she basically only studies the night before so how bad can missing one night of study time really be?

 

Oliver said I should invite Frank and Cedric and whom ever else I wanted to. So I did, invite Frank and Cedric and he invited Cho. We all show up where Oliver asked us too. He's already waiting there with Caroline and the twins and a few other people I don't really know. There's a door I've never seen before behind them. It's the room of requirement, I know that. I've just never seen it in this form before. With this door.

Oliver comes over and greets me with a peck on the lips. That's the first he's done that and I kind of like it. It's kind of domestic and couple-ish. I've never done domestic and couple-ish before. Not that we are a couple but still.

"So I asked Caroline how you like to celebrate and she set it all up. Apparently there's a muggle house party behind that door." Oliver says taking my hand. Suddenly very exited I let him lead me in though the door and into what looks like a large flat. There's music I don't recognise playing and the lights are dimmed and all over the place are couches and cushions and a few doors which I'm guessing lead to bathrooms or something like that.

"We've got fire whiskey." One of the twins, I don't know which one says. "And butterbeer." Butterbeer isn't strong. Everyone knows that, but fire whisky is and all of a sudden I'm not sure this is such a good idea. Sure I've been wanting to get smashed for a while now especially since I was out drinking almost every day of the summer but we're in school. I'm sure there are some rules against this.

"Waters." Oliver says obviously noticing the discomfort on my face. "Look, you don't need to drink and you don't need to stay very long if you don't want to. I just thought you might enjoy this after everything Caroline has told me."

"What has Caro told you?"

"She might have mentioned that you where quite the life of the party and always jumped at an opportunity to go out with your sister."

Caro is not wrong. As much as it interfered with my work outs I have quite a liking for parties and drinking a little. Of course I always make sure to be safe about my alcohol consumption and all that. A very large part of me want's to just let loose for tonight and it's a part I know will just be exhausting to fight to I give in.

"Okay fine. But I'll have you know that I'm a really sexually aggressive drunk and you should beware." I've never actually done anything more then kiss anyone and I always ask there permission before I do but it's still crazy how badly I want to kiss everyone after two or three beers. Judging my the look on Oliver's face he's not all to concerned about that.

 

After a few drinks, when I say a few I mean enough for me to be more then tipsy, I'm sitting in a circle made up of basically everyone who's here while we play a game. Well they are sitting, I've got my head in Frank's lap.

"Frank. Truth or dare." One of the twins asks. I think it's George, because it's the one that isn't pressed up against my sister.

"Dare."

"If you've ever fancied anyone from this group of people, I dare you to kiss them." I can tell from his face that he know's Frank had a crush on him. He's completely misusing that information but I can't help smiling at how absolutely absurd and childish and wonderful this all is.

"Well, come here then." I can tell that Frank is also buzzed because she wouldn't have said that sober. George comes to her and they kiss right on top of me giving me front row seats. It's kid of gross to watch if I'm honest. Not because they kiss gross or anything but because kissing in general is gross.

It's my turn next. I pick truth because I don't want to get up to do a dare. "Is it true you dated a girl." It's Cho who asks. I give Cedric a questioning look because I don't know how else she would know about it. He whispers a sorry and I can tell that he isn't exactly sober either so I forgive him.

"Yah. It's true." I confirm. With makes some of the guys that I don't know whistle, which I find really annoying so I add: "But before anyone asks, that doesn't mean I'm down with a threesome and especially not with any of you losers."

Cedric smiles a proud kind of smile which makes me smile and makes me glad that he's my friend.

Oliver is sitting next to me, so it's his turn next and he chooses 'dare'. "I dare you and Penny to go spend some 'alone time' in that room." It's Cedric who says it. It's actually bloody Cedric. What's he playing at.

"Come on then." Oliver says standing up and offering me his hand.

I take his hand but I groan: "I don't want to get up. I want to lie down."

"There's a bed inside some of the rooms, you can lie down there?" A few more people whistle and I kind of want to punch them but at the same time a bed sounds really good so I just say "yay" and let Oliver lead me though a door. It's nice on the other side of it. theres a cute small room with a large bed that has a lot of pillows and a big fluffy duvet. I let myself fall down on it immediately.

Oliver sits down on it, crossing his legs and I decide that that's the perfect place to put my head.

"So you had a girlfriend?" Oliver asks and something about his tone seams a little off. Like he's shy or something.

"Not really. I went on a few dates with a girl for a while but it didn't work out." I explain.

"How come?"

"I don't know. I don't think I liked her enough to have been willing to commit. You know. Which is good because she was kind of an arse and would have probably broken my heart."

Oliver is play with my hair now. "You liked her despite her being an arse?"

"Yah. I guess. I don't know. I was drunk a lot at the time. And she was just there and beautiful and then we snogged and then I thought I fancied her."

"You snogged?" It's not so much a question as a quiet mumble.

"Yes. But don't worry. It's much more fun doing it with you." And then I'm up out of his lap and kissing him ruthlessly. He kisses back with encourages me to push him down onto the bed so that I'm on top of him while we kiss. Despite it being sloppy and tasting like alcohol it's still the perfect speed. Not too fast and vigorous like all the times I kissed Nina. It's slower and more full of meaning.

I don't know if it's my drunken state but I'm having all sorts of feelings which are most probably being driven by hormones and it doesn't get better when I feel a certain something prodding my leg.

With a whole new found confidence and drive I slide my hands under Oliver's jumper and let my finders explore the skin below. One of his hands is on the back of my neck and the other is my waist. Well, it was on my waist but now it's on the move, running up along my ribs and higher until his finger is brushing the underside of my breast.

That's when he pulls away and moves his hand back down. "Whoa Penny, slow down." He chuckles making me a little more then confused. Why was he stoping.

As if he can read my mind he says: "You're drunk. And you where right, you do get sexually aggressive. But I don't want to do anything you might regret in the morning."

"Why do you have to be so charming and nice? You can't be nice and fit. What am I supposed to do with all that? It's too much wonderful for one girl to handle."

He chuckles again and then pulls me as close to him as possible. "Is this okay by you? If we just kind of lay here for now?"

"Yah. Okay." I agree thinking that this is nice too. Just existing within Oliver's arms, safe from the outside world and the cold and the dark.

He gives one last quick kiss and then whisper something so quietly that I can't quite catch it and then, without wishing it, I can fell sleep tugging at my conscious.

 


	10. Chapter 10

I vaguely remember Oliver wakening me and telling me it was time to go to bed. Proper bed. I also think one of the twins made a joke. Something along the lines of 'Oliver is so dull any girl he's with falls asleep.' I think I would have said something but I was pretty darn tired. 

 

To be honest I'm not entirely sure how I got back into the Hufflepuff tower but somehow I must have managed because I wake up in my bed. It's not even that I was all that drunk. I was just really exhausted and I'm not even sure why. 

My head hurts a little, not too much but enough for me to regret the previous night. Not to mention that there are about a million other reasons for me to regret last night. I feel like I need to send Oliver an apology in the mail or something of that sort. 

I mean come on, Penny, did you have to attack him face with yours? I groan into my pillow before forcing myself to get up and shower. I wash all the smell of alcohol and impurity out of my hair and off of my body. 

I take some time to stand in front of the mirror completely naked, before getting dressed, which is something that I often do and also the reason why none of the other girls enter the bathroom with out knocking. And all of a sudden I feel like I need to make a change. 

I've felt this once before and I'm not sure where exactly it comes from but I do know the last time this happened, in third year, I ended up dying my hair pink. Not with one of those temporary spells that people use during Quidditch games but permanently. I ended up walking around with a pink head for the remainder of the year and I actually really liked it. 

This time around I don't really want to do anything that drastic. But I still want to do something so I grab a pair of scissors and cut all my hair of below my neck. I've never really had short hair and nor have any of my sisters so this is a first. I also don't make an effort to make it perfect which gives it this look that I kind of like. 

 

I get quite a lot of compliments over the next few days, including one from Oliver after I apologies to him multiple times about getting so......pushy, but I'm sure the compliments would have been much more appreciated if I didn't always receive them whilst my face was in a book.

It's actually ridiculous how much work I'm doing. I've never focused this much on school work, ever. Not even when I had to make a 3 hour presentation in Biology back in year 5 (at muggle school). We later found out that the teacher didn't really know what he was doing and the stuff I had to present was way over my year and even then I didn't work half as much as I am now. 

I'm barley reading for fun, barley joking around with Fran and Cedric, I haven't seen Caro in days, I barley see Oliver and most devastatingly, I barley have time to fly. 

Considering all that I'm actually kind of relieved when the NEWTS come around. Not because we have to do them and they're difficult as hell but because it means I'm finally able to take a break from all this. 

If I'm completely honest the house in which we work on out NEWTS are the worst. There is nothing scarier then sensing everyones fear while you work. And all that in total silence. It's ridiculous. The entire time my palms are sweaty and my stomach is doing all sorts of funky things I'd rather it didn't do. 

And then, when it's finally over I'm the happiest person to ever happy. I hug everyone. Everyone. I don't care if I don't know them too well, I hug them anyhow. And I congratulate everyone on having survived that. 

When Justin Finch-Fletcher comes up to congratulate me I pick him up and spin him round. Not as smart an idea as I thought because 13 year old's aren't exactly light but I'm just so glad that it's over with even if I did terribly. 

"You're done." Cedric beams at me and I smile back like a maniac. 

"YES I AM." I hug him and tell him all about how relieved I am and how I can finally appreciate the things I couldn't before like the breeze on the back of my neck. Of course he laughs at that. 

Then there's Oliver. We congratulate each other, talk a little about how difficult each test was and then....... well let's just say there wasn't a whole lot of talking involved. We make sure to remain within the Hufflepuff locker room because I know that no one will be waltzing in there anytime soon and it's nice and private. 

"Do you not need to breath or something?" Oliver asks me a little out of breath after one of the more, for lack of a better word, vigorous snogs of the day. 

"I was on the swim team." I explain. "I can hold my breath like a pro." 

"Is there any team you weren't on?" He laughs. 

"All the ones that weren't sports teams." He laughs again and pulls me closer. 

"Sometimes I think you might be a little more obsessive then me even, which is difficult to accomplish." 

"Oh, I'm defiantly more obsessive then you even." I smirk before closing the gap between out lips once more.

 

You know those lazy days where you're moving all slow and stuff and it feels like everything else is moving slow? Yah, I don't know that feeling. I don't have lazy days. I have days on which I don't run or fly or do some sort of physical activity because I'm too busy with other stuff and I had one ever day when I didn't because I just didn't feel like it and lazy is not what I felt that day. Guilt is what I felt that day. 

 

So as anyone could imagine I became really busy with Quidditch after our NEWTS. There's not a whole lot of time left in which I'm going to be in school and I plan on using all of it to get as ready as possible for meeting the Holyhead harpies tryouts. 

Fortunately for me I know a boy whom I quite like who is also training for tryouts so we can do that together. We start of with me throwing Quaffles at him and trying to score every now and then and clearly failing. 

After that, my favourite bit of our training sessions, We release a Bludger and spend some time just waking it back and forth and just having fun hitting demonic bowling ball with bats. And the entire time I just busk in the gloriousness that is a Scottish accent. 

"Hit it harder." I've learnt that Oliver is a ruthless coach. It doesn't matter who you are he will not go easy on you. Exactly what I need when training. And it's not as if I go easy on him either. 

"I'm hitting so weak because I'm afraid you won't be able to handle anything stronger." I tease even though I had actually been swinging with all my strength. But still I'm very happy so far I've only fallen of my broom twice.  

 

After training every day Oliver and I spend some time in the locker room. Because we're both hormone driven teens, okay. It's normal to have some needs. In fact Frank decided that she needs to talk to me about those needs. 

"Relax. We haven't gone there." I tell her after she sits me down very mature like. 

"I know. Coz you would have told me the second you did but it's something that might happen and I want you to be safe." Judging from that one night with the fire whiskey and all that going on I feel like Frank is right. It is something that might happen. It's an idea I'm defiantly open too. That's for sure. 

"Do you have condoms?" 

"I do actually." Our sister, Moira, gave Caro and I a bunch of condoms when we started our seventh year, just in case. 

"That's good. You can never completely trust a guy to have condoms, even if they should." And then she gives me the whole rundown. Cedric joins us after a while and just listens. It's almost as if he's taking mental notes for future references and I love it.  It's so like Cedric. Like he want's to make sure he does nothing wrong or offends no one or even accidentally hurts anyone. 

After it's all said and done I promise Frank that I'll be careful and she seams to accept that which is nice. 

 

The next day at practice Oliver and I do the normal run though, including the bit where I don't get a single Quaffle past him. And then I almost pull a muscle swinging my bat too hard. Same old same old. 

It got a little different once we retreated to the Hufflepuff locker room. I don't know why but I'm all out of it today. Like everything feels super weird and not correct. Like all of a sudden I'm thinking all these things I shouldn't be thinking. Like the fact that we're not actually a couple. We're not in a relationship or anything. We're just two people who both love Quidditch, train together and then snog. 

Well when I say all of a sudden what I mean is ever since Frank gave me the sex talk. I don't know why that changed anything and am perfectly aware that it really shouldn't have made a difference but it did. All of a sudden I'm all awkward and Oliver notices. 

"Is everything okay?" 

"Yah. Of course." I lie. "Why shouldn't it be?" 

"Well, you've suddenly gone very quiet and you didn't demand a piggy back ride which is unusual." 

It's then that I realise what it is exactly that's bothering me. Namely Whales. And the realisation that Whales is so far away. It's is own country with means I won't be seeing Oliver every day. And just as it was starting to get really good. The reason it got so bad when Frank talked to me about sex is because I realised that I like this guy so much that I'm actually willing to sleep with him. That's a very strong level of liking. 

All that and it's like two weeks until the end of school and I move off. Even if I don't make the team I'm still going to be somewhere that isn't Hogwarts and somewhere where I can't see the people I want to see everyday. 

And let's be honest. Long distance relationships hardly ever work. Besides we're not even in a relationship. We're just mates who happen to snog occasionally. And what does that leave you with then you're no longer able to snog? 

"We're almost done with school." Is all I say. 

"We're almost done with school." Oliver confirms. 

"And then we'll all be somewhere else. I might go to whales. Who know's if I'll see you again. Or Frank or Cedric or Justin or the house elves. I mean I'm even going to miss Professor Sprout and Madam Hooch." 

"Yah. I'm going to miss her too." Oliver agrees. "But why would you think you won't see these people again? Why would you think you won't see me again?" He's stepped towards me. Not so that there's no space between us, just so the space is a small one. I can't help but feel tiny again. I'm also about 200% more sure now that I would most defiantly have sex with him if the opportunity presented itself. 

"I can only speak for myself but I'll stay in touch." He says. 

"Promise?" 

"Promise." He smiles down at me and then uses his thumb to lift my chin like he did that one time in Hogsmeade but this time it actually ends in a kiss. 

 


	11. Chapter 11

Way to quickly it's the last day of school. The actual last day. As in tonight there will be a feast and tomorrow we will be on the train back to Kings Cross. Then before you know it I'll be on a train to Whales. I'm a mess of emotions. I'm exited and sad and happy and anxious. It's actually mental that I haven't exploded yet.

"We should fly over the grounds later." Oliver suggests. "Get a good look of the place before we leave it."

"Yeah." I agree. "That sounds potentially awesome. Also potentially reason for me to start crying and being just a huge mess."

"No. It will be fun. You should ask Frank and your sister if they want to come. They are leaving too after all."

It's actually a really swell idea so that's what I do and we all agree to meet on the Quidditch pitch an hour before the feast.

I thought Oliver was also going to ask some of his friends to join but as it turns out his friends = the Gryffindor Quidditch team and all of them will be back next year so it's just the four of us. Frank and Caro take two of the school's cleansweeps and then we take to the sky. Higher then I'm used to. And it's the most magical experience in my life. More magical even then the actual magic.

We fly over the dark forest and look down into it's depths and I even catch a slims of something moving amongst the trees. I know some student's have been in there but I wasn't one of them. Never broke a rule so I never got detention which is very nice but now I'm starting to wonder about the mysteries hidden under the canopy that we're flying above.

Next we fly around the castle and I can't help it. I'm crying. Hogwarts just looks so majestic and stunning and wonderful and I'm so so proud to have called that castle my home for the last 7 years. I really really am. We fly over the roofs and around the towers and up and down and under bridges and though arks and I also realise just how large and intricate everything about this school is. Even on the last day she takes me by surprise.

I look at Frank and Caro and they are both crying too. I know how much Caro loved going to school here, how much Caro love's being a Witch and I know that she will be forever grateful for everything Hogwarts had to offer, even if last year she did get petrified by a giant snake that feeds of muggle borns or something like that.

Frank is probably just crying because she cares so much and she loves so much more then anyone else I know and she'd probably also be crying if we had just finished out A levels.

Oliver in contrast isn't crying, his eyes aren't even mildly wet. He just grins, broader then I've ever seen him grin and I don't know what he's thinking but I know that it must be grate.

Caro and Frank decide not to join Oliver and I as we fly over the black lake and we agree to meet at the feast. I think they must have been cold because it's chilly up here and my hands are a little numb. It's a little odd how cold this year has been. I heard someone say it's because of the dementors that have been hanging around but the effect they have is still crazy.

I'm wondering about the wonders that must live within the depths of the lake and maybe too intently because suddenly I'm no longer on my broom but plummeting towards the water below me. Towards my death.

Caro would tell me I'm being dramatic but I'm not. I'm basically falling towards the middle of the lake so even if none of the critters that live within it get to me hypothermia will. I've always been a good swimmer but in these temperatures that make little difference when I'll have to swim for at least two and a half hours to get to shore.

There's something poetic about falling. Not falling in love or that sort of crap. But actually, literally falling. I've never felt this alive. I've never really appreciated everything that has happened to me until just now. Right now, in the moments before I hit the water so far below me I love everything and everyone. I love Quidditch and Hogwarts and magic and adoption and my Dad's and my sister's and Mateo and Cedric and Frank and Oliver.I love it all and I love them all and if I'm going to freeze to death in a lake then I'm glad it was after I've lived the way that I have.

Even though I know it's coming the plunge into the cold, cold water takes me by surprise. For one it's colder then I expected, which is mental. And as well as that it hurts a lot more then I expected. Kind of the way a belly flop from a three meter diving board hurts expect that this wasn't three meters. It's was more like 100. And even though I hit the water feet first and should have had a smooth landing my entire body hurts.

I try to ignore the pain while I swim back to the surface which has got to be at least 15 meters up and the whole thing is a struggle.

This bit really is less poetic than the falling. Although it is doing a fantastic job at making me feel alive but not the in adrenaline kind of way but in the I'm perfectly aware of everything that's unpleasant on my body kind of way.

 

I don't know how I thought anything else would happen but when I reach the surface Oliver is right there, on his broom, reaching down for me to grab his hand. Obviously. Weather it was the adrenaline or something else I don't know but something somehow stopped my brain from working normally and extracted all logic. To think that Oliver would just leave me in the lake alone is absolute absurd and believe me I'm glad he didn't.

So glad in fact that once I'm on the back of his broom and holding on I can't help but say: "I love you so much right now."  

"I love you too." He says back and then I realise the meaning of our words and I can't help but grin. Because I do love him, I do.

 

The fest is amazing as usual and I don't think I've ever been this happy before in my life. Even though it's all rather melancholy and sad it's also super happy. I think back to everything that's ever happened, good and bad and life is just so so good right now and I'm glad to still be part of it. 

I look at Frank sitting next to me and smile. I look at Cedric sitting across from me and smile some more then I catch Oliver's eye from across the room and I know it's going to be okay. In fact it's going to be better then okay, it's going to be fantastic. 

 


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought about putting everything following this chapter into a sequel but I've decided to just carry on on this story. I should warn you though that from here on out it will get more adult and a little darker.

For 7 years of my life I went to Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry and it was the most fantastic time of my life. It honestly was. I learned so much about magic and what the world has to offer as well as the wonders and life and friendship.

I met my best friend, Frank at Hogwarts and a friend, Cedric, that I knew I'd alway love just as much I love my little brother as well as the person I can only describe as the love of my life. Namely Oliver, ex Gryffindor Quidditch captain.

Then we graduated and it only got better. I ended up playing my favourite position in an all girl Quidditch team while the boy I love played his dream position at another Quidditch team and he even managed to visit me on an almost weekly basis.

Then everything changed. Cedric, more then a friend really, was killed by a Wizard gone bad. Gone very very bad. After that I kind of derailed.

What you have to understand is that I loved my life. I loved my friends and my career and everything about the Wizarding World and I really, really loved everything. Absolutely everything.

And then when Cedric died I felt no need what so ever to have any connection to the wizarding world at all. I hear that Cho got a whole lot of condolences. The whole school was telling her how sorry they where for her loss. But was anyone sorry for my loss? No. Other than my sister only Frank, the Weasley twins and Wood even said anything. But yah Cho is so important. The girl he dated for two years. What about the friend he had for six? I loved him. Honestly and without a doubt I loved the guy like I love my brother Mateo. And like I love Frank and Caroline.

The worst part is that I found out about it thought Fred Weasley. Apparently him and Caro keep in touch. He showed up at my door and told me what happened and let me cry on his shoulder.

And then he left and I decided that that was it. I'm done. I don't need Quiddtich. I've got my fantastic job competing in regattas and as a dive instructor. I've seen the wonders beneath the waves. I really do not need the sky's as well.

The next day Oliver came to see me. He had heard about it too somehow and knew that I'd be a wreck. And I was, believe me I was. By the time he got to me I was hidden under layers of layers of sheets and pillows in a shirt that was soaked in my own tears and he must have had a tough time dealing with me and I had a tough time dealing with life.

He stayed with me for two weeks, taking time off of work and everything. Basically he took care of me while I stayed in bed and did a lot of crying. Then at night he'd get in bed with me and just hold on to me. I don't like to think back on that time much but when I do I realise that I probably won't ever stop loving him with all my heart.

Especially when I think about the moment I told him that I couldn't see him anymore and he said that it was okay and that he understood and that he wouldn't stop loving me.

I told him I'd wright but even that didn't work out for more then a month, especially after I packed up all my stuff and moved to Spain. That's where my career as a Dive instructor started and I left the skies behind.

I even got back together with Nina who moved to Spain to be with me which was sweet I guess but if I'm honest she was more or a rebound or a distraction. And then about half a year in I found out she was cheating on my. My heart would have been broken if there was anything left to break. But I guess part of me knew it was bound to happen considering I refused to sleep with her. In fact we never went past second base.

Frank and Caroline are the only connection I had to the world of magic what so ever and only after they promised not to mention anything about the Wizarding World at all.

But now, almost three years later, Oliver Wood is standing at my doorstep, in Spain and I can't believe it. I want to cry and laugh and kiss him all at the same time. 

 


	13. Chapter 13

"What are you doing here?" Is all I manage to say and I'm really not happy to see that he's got a bag with him. I really really hope he's not planing on staying. I don't know how I'll deal with that.

Although I must say he's gotten better looking which I didn't think was even possible but it is. He's got a little bit of a stubble and is a little bigger in terms of muscle and I can't help but think some pretty dirty thoughts.

"I've missed you." Oliver says. "Is that bad? I just wanted to see you, is that bad?"

"I guess not." I say stepping aside to let him into the house and we walks past me, pulling his bag behind him none of us exchanging a single word.

I show him the guest room and then just leave him there. I know I probably should say something or do something or something but I don't really want to deal with Oliver fucking Wood at the moment. I'm such a mess of a human being, like a right proper mess of a human being and I just can not deal with this boy I'm still in love with.

Seeing as I can't really just ditch him in my guest room I stick my head back in and say: "I'm going surfing. There's food in the fridge."

Then I leave. I just leave. I mean I stay within the house long enough to change into a rash guard and bikini bottom but then I'm gone. Board under my arm I head for the beach and then right into the ocean. No second thought or hesitation, just straight into the waves.

I've always found that surfing relaxes me. Usually there's nothing that can't be forgotten amongst the tumble of the ocean waters but today my game is way off. My game is never off. But all I can think about is the man sitting in my house and taking a whole part of my life, that I tried to forget, with him.

In the past three years I've never been in the water this long before and I've never causing this few waves before either but I know that I can't hind in the salty mass forever so I pluck up my courage and decide it's time to face my past.

"I don't need to stay here." Oliver says once I get back. "I was actually thinking I'd try a Bead and Breakfast."

Knowing how incredibly rude it would be to just send him away I tell him he can stay in my guest room but that I'm working 5 days a week and sailing or surfing the other two. He nods and says he just want's to see me even if it's just an hour a day for a few days.

That first night I want to take Oliver out to dinner but at the same time I don't. I decide I'm just going to tell him that there's food in the fridge and go to bed so I knock on the door of the guest room and wait for him to open it. But the second he does I can't help myself but I start crying. Really hard. With out warning.

Over the last few years I've gotten so good at not feeling anything and not caring about anything and just existing in numbness.

Ever since Cedric died I've done my best to be as detached as possible and I'd like to think that I've gotten pretty good at it but now it's like the entire wall I've built up just fell all of a sudden with out warning.

True to his old self Oliver is immediately by my side and holding me close and stroking my hair and whispering over and over that it's going to be okay. But it's not going to be okay, at all. Because this is exactly what it was like in the two weeks after Cedric died. I would cry and Oliver would hold me and whisper to me and I don't like that all I'm back to that. I feel like I'm moving backwards. I got over this, I moved on but now I'm spiralling back into a dark place in my life.

"I can't do this." I say, completely honestly. "I was fine Oliver. I was fine and wonderful and I was dealing and then you showed up and I don't think I can do this."

"Do you want me to leave?" He asks and I know that if I said yes he would be out the door in a second and probably never turn back because that's who he is. He want's me to be okay. But I'm fully aware that I won't ever be okay. Not really so I tell him: "No. I don't want you go. I want you to stay and never let go of me."

"I can do that." He promises.

I know that I wanted Oliver to sleep in the guest room and not with me and I guess that all went according to plan but I did sleep in the guest room which his arms wrapped around me and my face buried in his chest. I tell myself over and over that there's nothing odd about this and that Frank and I used to cuddle all the time but all that does is remind me of Hogwarts and that just feels like someones taken a rusty screw driven and driven it though my chest.

In the middle of the night I'm woken by dreams, bad bad dreams and I'm in tears and sobbing grotesquely which wakes Oliver which obviously has him fussing over me and everything all over again. I kind of get it, I mean I am hyperventilating and shaking and crying and I feel like there's this unbelievable pain which starts in my chest and spreads out to my whole body. I can feel my fingers cramp up from the hyperventilation.

He puts both his hands on the side of my face and says: "Penny, love, listen. I'm going to kiss you now, but only if you're okay with that."

Not sure what else to do I nod and let Oliver press his lips against mine. He starts of slowly, very very slowly, testing everything out and then begins to get to a proper pace which forces me to breath deeper, slower breaths limiting my supply of oxygen which stops the cramping and the shaking.

The snog session also, almost, makes the pain a little more bearable and I can't help thinking that this is the perfect distraction. Grabbing on to Olivers shirt I pull him down on top of me on the bed and then take his hands and lead them to my breasts. He doesn't stop me which I take as a good sign and decide to deepen the kiss while running one of my hands though his hair.

 

 

oncerning last nigh, Oliver and did not have sex. He stopped it before it got that far. Apparently Frank told him that that's something I might try to do. Apparently Frank also told him about Nina.

He wanted to talk about that and wanted to know how I felt about her and how I felt about her cheating. I simply told him that didn't care much and when it became clear that I wasn't going to say more he dropped it.

I've noticed that he wasn't to do a lot of talking about feelings and what not and the truth is, I don't want to do any talking. The only time I ever say much in my everyday life is when I'm teaching students how to scuba dive and I learnt Spanish for that so I don't even really need english all that much.

"Don't you have work or something? Or shouldn't you be training?" I question over breakfast. I know I said last night that didn't want him to go but now, in the light of day, I'm starting to question if his being here is really all that good for me.

"They won't notice I'm missing. Or if they do they'll just assume I'm on the run." He says casually as if that's supposed to make any sense.

"What are you even talking about?" I huff. "Of course they would notice. On the run from what?"

"Wait." He loos genuinely confused by my confusion. "You don't know?"

"Know what? Did you become a drug lord while I was away?" It's meant to be a joke but nothing about my voice sounds like there's ever been a joke that left my lips at any point in time.

"No." Oliver is compliantly serious. "The UK is in chaos. You know who is back."

"I KNOW HE'S FUCKING BACK." I spit. I don't mean to sound so angry but I can't help it. "Or maybe you've forgotten that he's gone and killed Cedric!"

"I know Penny, and I haven't forgotten." He remains calm despite my outburst. "I just meant that he's properly back. He's got people in the in ministry and they are taking Muggleborns. People are dying on a daily basis."

"What do you mean they are taking Mugglebons? My sister is a Muggleborn."

"She's safe." Oliver assures me. "She took your family and went into hiding."

"She didn't tell me?" I'm not sure if this makes me mad or disappointed. Disappointed mostly in myself for going so far off rain that she didn't feel like she could trust me with the information.

"For your own safety. No one know's you're here and If you just remind here pretending to be a muggle no one would find you."

"You know I'm here. You found me." I point out not really wanting to go on with this conversation but also knowing that I can't exactly turn back now. Not now that I know that my family is in actual danger.

"Because you told me where you where going. Before you left, remember?"

"Yah I remember." I'm being moody and a bit of a bitch and I'm fully aware of it. It's horrible of me considering how patient and compassionate Oliver is being about the whole situation but I just don't think I'm quite ready for warm and fuzzy yet. I might never be.

"The whole situation back there is actually why I'm here-"

"So you didn't just miss me." It's not a question.

"Of course I did. Penny," pause. "listen. I've missed you so much it's crazy but you didn't want to see me and as hard as it was I knew I had to respect that." Another pause, a longer one this time. "I'm still in love with you."

He's not looking at me but the table as if he's ashamed or something. Part of me wants to lift his head and tell him that I still love him too and that I never stopped loving him and that as long as we're together everything will be okay. Instead I say: "That's unfortunate."

I don't think he was expecting me to reciprocate his words but I don't think he was expecting this either. He looks sad, hurt even and I can't help feeling bad. Still I fight the urge to tell him I'm sorry and that actually I do in fact love him.

"Anyway," He continues. "There's a war coming, everyone can feel it. I was hoping you might come home and join the fight."

"I am home." I butt in.

"Okay. If that's how you feel I can't force you do anything but I'm going back in a week and I do hope by then you'll have changed your mind."

"Hope breeds eternal misery." Is all I say.

After breakfast I have to leave because I have two dives planed for today. I love diving. When you're underwater it's as if nothing else matters as if there is only the vast blueness that surrounds you and everything on the surface just melts away. For two periods lasting 40 minutes I can almost forget everything that's happened and forget everything I've learned this morning, however the sad truth about diving is that eventually you run out of oxygen and have to go back to your life.

"If you get the chance you should dive in the Philippines." I tell one of our clients. This conversation that isn't in any way related to magic is needed and very much appreciated. "I've never seen anything like it." I'm lying. I've never been outside of Europe but the person I pretend to be around here has so I take on her life and talk about adventures she's had.

Soaked and still covered in little grains of salt I reluctantly step back into my houses and try to sneak my way to the shower with out Olive noticing I'm back. Unfortunately I fail.

"Are you done working? I thought we could-"

"Yah. I'm done working." I say before he can continue. I kind of want to avoid whatever it is that he want's to do."But there's some pretty good waves today and I thought I'd catch some before it get's dark."

I've hurt him again. I can see it on his face as clear as day and feels like someone has taken the rusty screw driver out of much chest and plunged it right back in again. If I keep doing this there won't be a whole lot of me left by the end of the week.

"Would you like to come?" I can't believe I add that but the smile on Oliver's face is worth it.

"I'd love to."

So I grab two boards and we make our way to the beach. I need to give Oliver a quick lesson before we can actually hit the waves but I don't mind because it's a pretty good distraction. Maybe I'll open a surf school once he's left.

To no one's surprise Oliver is very good for a beginner and even stands a few times with out my help. I hate it. I hate the admiration that swells up in me when I watch him and I hate that I'm missing all the training sessions we had together in our last few weeks at Hogwarts.

I actually catch myself smiling a few times and I catch a lot more waves then I did yesterday which is defiantly a way to put me in a good mood. Well, I better mood.

"I was wondering if you might like to have dinner?" Oliver ask me once we're showed and clean. "And if you'd like to see a.... what's it called...... Film?"

"Do you even know what a film is?" I ask and actually laugh a little when he shakes his head and explains that Frank told him I might enjoy one.

"Wait. Dinner and a Movie? Are you asking me on a date?" I realise suddenly.

"What's a movie?" Olive asks and I can't help it. I'm smiling. How can I not when asks me questions like that.

"It's another word for 'Film'." I explain.

"In that case: yes, I'm asking you on a date." He gives me this smile which melts me. It's not large and exaggerated like the smiles we used to exchange between the two of us, it remind me more of the smile he used to wear when Gryffindor was winning or he made an exceptionally fantastic save.

"I don't know what a film is though so you might have to organise that." He says and just for a moment I'm the giddy, exited, happy girl from 3 years ago. 

 

 


	14. Chapter 14

I don't sleep in the guest room with Oliver tonight. In fact I don't sleep at all. I spend all my time tossing and turning and failing to find peace. All I can do is think about he-who-must-not-be-named and how much I want to punch him in the face.

Despite knowing that Caro is smart and probably has everything under control I can't help worrying about her either or Frank for that matter or Justin Finch-Fletcher even. I mean he's a muggle born, what if the ministry people have taken him or whatever it is they are doing.

Whatever numbness I felt is completely gone to who knows where and replaced with a kind of rage. I'm just so damn mad. So mad that all of this has happened and no one was able to stop it. I mean what the fuck is there a Ministry of Magic for if they can't prevent this kind of thing from happening? And who the fuck does you know who think he is anyway? He thinks it okay to just go around killing people? Well it's not. Cedric was a fullblood and everything but that didn't appear to make a difference, which somehow is worse then him just being a prejudice ass hat with a hunger for blood.

At around 1am when I think I'm going to burst with anger Oliver knocks on my door taking my by surprise.

"You awake?" He asks.

"Yah, couldn't sleep." I explain letting him in. He's holding some sort of radio thing and turns some of the knobs on it.

"There's a secret radio station which belongs to the Order. Though you might want to hear tonights segment."

"What's the Order?" I realise just how out of touch I've been. To not know about a situation that there's actual secret radio stations.

"The Order of the Phoenix. They are working on defeating You know who. Dumbledoor was in charge before Snape killed him."

"Snape killed Dumbledoor?" I ask in complete shock but before Oliver can answer the radio jumps to life. The person talking is a voice I recognise. One of the twins friends I think.

"We have a special guest today who's got some important news she'd like to share. Please welcome Blunt."

"Hello." It's Frank. Frank is on the secret radio station which is run by the rebel group trying to overthrow the evil magical Hitler. I'm overcome by emotions and I can't help the tears that start to fall. I haven't seen Frank in so long and maybe this is why. It's so like her to stand up for everyone rights and even put her life in danger to do the right thing.

"I have a message for all the Hogwarts graduates out there. Especially those who've been to school in the last 10 years." I feel like she's talking directly to me which of course is ridiculous. "You know who has gone to far, he's not only taken out Headmaster from us and taken over our school but now he's doing unspeakable things to it's students. We may not be able to take the Ministry back but why should be let our school suffer the same fate. So I'm begging you if you're out there and you're listening please come back to Hogwarts and fight for her. Please come home."

Hearing that I realise that Oliver was right. This dumb house in Spain and this dumb life that I'm leading this isn't where I belong. I belong with him and Frank and my sister within the Wizarding world playing Quidditch and cast spells.

I try to cover my face and conceal my tears but I know I'm not doing a very good job. Oliver doesn't say anything though, he just gives me the space that I need right now.

"But how can the listeners do that?" The host asks.

"It's very simple, River," Frank says. "I have two friends, they are your friends two if I'm not mistaken, and those friends are willing to give directions to anyone who's still loyal to Dumbledoor. You can find them where you can find everything else you might need at Hogwarts. Just look for the sweetest people there."

And then it's over. Frank says good bye and Oliver turns the radio off.

"We have to go back." I say though sobs. "I have to see Frank."

"We can lave tomorrow afternoon." Oliver says playing a kiss on my forehead.

Weather it's the emotions that are currently running wild in my body or hormones or something else I don't know. Don't really care much either but I look up at Oliver and I can no longer keep it it. "I love you too." I say. "I love you so so much and I've missed you and I don't want to ever loose you again."

"You won't loose me. Ever." He says pulling me into his tight embrace.

"Promise? If I agree to go tomorrow do you promise you won't let anyone take you from me?" If the situation was different it might appear as if I was worried he might fall for someone else and leave me but we both know the truth I'm taking about is much graver.

"I promise."

I think we sleep a total of two hours before I'm woken my nightmare yet again. I get them quite regularly. Always the same one in which I'm playing Quidditch with Cedric, except he's dead and it's his corps propped up on a broom. The opposing team are a bunch of those people that showed up at the Quidditch Wold Cup. You know the one's with the masks.

But this time its a little different. Frank is there and she's commentating except she's not reporting on the game but talking about people dying.

"There go the Weasley twins. They will be missed I'm sure." Is what she says before I'm pulled back into reality.

Oliver wakes up from the sound of my panting and gives me some time to calm down before talking: "You know what I realised?" He asks. I think he's trying to distract me, to take my mind of of the dream I had.

"No, actually I'm not particularly good at mind reading." I say.

He smies a little and then says: "I don't think we ever made our relationship official."

"You're not wrong." I confirm.

"Well, how would you like to be my girlfriend?"

"Took you long enough." I beam up at him. Sure there's still a rusty screwdriver in my chest and I don't think that's a pain that will ever go away but all the other stab wounds around it feel like they might be starting to heal.

We're kissing again. Not like last night but properly. Yesterday was some sort of animal instinct in me seeking for some sort of release form the pain, but this kiss right now is the most human thing I've ever experienced. I can basically feel the concern and worry on his tongue as well compassion and dedication and love.

I'm hoping he can taste how much I love him too because I feel like it's too strong a feeling to put into words and if I tried to I'd take at least an hour of non stop talking. Maybe numb wasn't as good as I thought after all.

Oliver garbs onto the bottom of the large shirt I wear to bed and lifts it a little. This is the first time he's made any kind of move toward sex. Usually I'm the one to initiate it and then he cuts me of. First when we here still in Hogwarts and ended up getting a little pissed and then again yesterday.

I don't hesitate to lift my arms so that he can pull the shirt fully over my head leaving me dressed only in my only underpants. Leaning back a little Oliver looks me up and down with a bit of a smile which broadens when he's looking back at my face. I'm sure now that there's no one else I'd do this with.

"Do you remember when you where willing to take you're shirt of to prove that you where fit?" Oliver asks.

"Of course I do. You insulted me by saying you'd never wanked to me."

"That's still true." Oliver says with a bit of a laugh.

"I'd be offended if I couldn't see what's happening down there." I glance quickly at his boxers which cover a recent change in anatomy. He blushes a little and then lens in to kiss me again.

My hands are all over the place, moving up and down, exploring the body that is now on top of me and somehow I manage to get his shit off. Once I see his upper body I realise just how much time has passes since we've seen each other. He's no longer a teenaged boy and his muscles are fully developed and if I'm being completely honest it's quite a sight.

After that it's really not all that long before both of us are completely naked and then it's even shorter a time before we've got the condom where it's meant to be. That's when I start laughing.

"What's funny?" Oliver asks but he's laughing too.

"You may be a keeper but you're going to score tonight." I say barley able to get the words out, thought chuckles. I haven't laughed like this in a really really long time and to think that it would be something so silly that did it.

"How long have you waited to use that?" Oliver questions, an amused look pleasured on his face.

"So long. You have no idea."

The rest of the night is an amazing, fantastic mess of feel good hormones. Sure it's a little sloppy and awkward and either of us really know what we are doing, because as it turns out Scotland's sexiest either hasn't had time or hasn't found the right person to have sex with. I don't tell him so but I'm more then a little glad about that.

Maybe sleeping my way thought the pain was a solid idea after all.

 


End file.
